Am I Not More To You Than…? (by Eric Gilmour)
Filed under The Kingdom of God on January 27th, 2012 by Eric Gilmour
“Now there was a certain man from Ramathaim-zophim from the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah…He had two wives: the name of one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Now this man would go up from his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh…When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; but to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had closed her womb. Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. It happened year after year, as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she would provoke her; so she wept and would not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. She made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” (1 Samuel 1.1-11)
In this day and culture, the woman found her identity and dignity in the bearing of Children. A main part of her role was to give children to her husband, the greatest of which was a son. The fruitfulness of a woman’s womb was the culture’s language of success. The pattern of thinking of this culture and time required the women to produce for the man- especially, a son.
Elkanah’s wife Peninnah had a fruitful womb. She was “productive” in the relationship. Her life testified to the world that she was a successful wife. Her dignity and identity were awarded the relief and praise of having borne children. The pressure of the system of thinking in this culture was off her shoulders. Her identity was established because she had productivity. Her fruitfulness spoke for her and stood at her side as a prideful witness that she had proven herself in the language of culture and time.
Hannah, on the other hand, had the pressure of the culture and time endlessly pressing on her shoulders. Her identity and dignity were in question in the eyes of her peers. She was barren. She had no fruit. She had nothing to show for herself and the provocative testimony of Peninnah was an internally vexing, degrading and humiliating thing fueled by the weighty cultural demand upon the her shoulders. This was such an emotional pressure and humiliation to her that she was sick to her stomach and could not eat. She would cry deeply and sorrow would pour out of her face. She was distraught and oppressed by Peninnah, who was very fruitful. But Peninnah’s power over her was not Peninnah herself, but rather the power was the pattern of thinking in the culture of man. It was the world’s view of what success looked like. So ultimately, Hannah is oppressed by a voice that is behind Peninnah’s provoking words. It is the voice of human demand of the culture of man and the system of the world. It is the voice of a success that is based on what was is perceived to be fruitful, successful and productive. Are you depressed and frustrated in your ministry because you are judging your ministry’s success by numbers of salvations, healings or any other perceivable quantity or lack thereof?
When Hannah comes to her husband, he says the greatest portrayal of the heart and person of Jesus Christ that there could ever be, “Am I not more to you than 10 sons?” Ten is a great number because it represents completion. And as earlier stated, sons are the greatest fruit a woman can have. Elkanah says to his oppressed wife, Jesus says to you, “Am I not more to you than all the fruit in the world?” Are you not fulfilled in me? Am I not enough? Am I not all sufficient? Am I not I AM? Do you need something more than me to be happy, satisfied or delighted?
Hannah approached by such a shocking love from her husband; a love that is outside of the system of thinking of man; a love that finds value in her without a demand for fruitfulness as the culture may see it; a love that wants her to be only satisfied with him. He is after a love that needs nothing more than each other.
She found her appetite again and she communes with her husband at the table. And though she returns to tears again for fruitfulness in the next verse, her cry is different this time. It is for a son, the best fruit, now for a totally different reason. Her first cry was from the painful weight of the system of man that wrapped her identity and dignity up in her productivity and her fruitfulness, while her second was to have fruit to be able to give to God. She wanted good fruit to be able to offer at the feet of God Himself. No longer bound by the thinking of her own face and the testimony of her life being in accordance with the system of the culture and time, speaking man’s language of success, she is free to find all her joy in her husband. No longer worried that he will leave her because she is unable to produce, she now cries to God for the right reason. She now lifts up her tears in purity. She now weeps bitterly out of selflessness. She wants fruit to give to God.
But one may say, “the scripture earlier stated that ‘God had closed her womb. So her fruitlessness was because of God.’ And to this I say, “Exactly. Sometimes God prevents us from seeing the fruit that we want to see so that he can look dead into our eyes and say, ‘Am I not more to you than ten sons?’”
Preacher who is looking for more signs and wonders; Pastor who wants a building; Evangelist who desires to see more numbers; Teacher who wants more committed students: In your frustration, listen to the heart of your Bridegroom, “Am I not enough for you? Am I not more to you than a building. Am I not more to you than miracles? Am I not more to you than souls being saved? Am I not more to you than fruit?”
This issue must be settled first if we are to ever cry out with a pure cry. If we are ever to find purity enough to simply desire to lay fruit at His feet. This issue of being satisfied with God alone will open up the heart to a real burden that is focused upon offering to Jesus a wonderful gift. Hannah says, “I will give him to you all the days of his life.” This fruit is not for my name, no one will even see me with him. This fruit is not to remove my disgrace and shame or for me to find dignity or identity…it is all for you and only you. We will be forever set free from the oppressive production demand when we settle in our hearts that Jesus alone in my life and daily experience is enough to satisfy everything that I could ever desire. He is enough!
Brothers and sisters, we have got to return to first love. Love that is solely set upon Him alone and satisfied with Him alone, so that fruit can be exactly what it is supposed to be, an offering to God for Him to keep. May we never fall into the trap of finding our identity and dignity in how much we have done and can do for the Lord, or how much God has used us. Because the real issue is this: If He Himself is not enough, not only will your fruit be tainted because it was not brought out of the purity of satisfaction with God alone – He Himself being your identity- but you will never birth a Samuel into the world. Penninah’s kids were just regular kids that you never hear any thing about. But Samuel was a loyal prophet and burning priest with God unlike any other. There is no other prophet/priest like Samuel, but Jesus Himself. And in Hebrews the writer says, “…Samuel and the prophets…”, indicating Samuel stood out in all the records of time.
Such fruit is born only after the question is settled and we can say with all our hearts, “You yourself are more to me than all the fruit and success in the world. If I have everything and I don’t have you, I have nothing. But If I have You and nothing else in the world, I have everything.” Say this with me, “JESUS, YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR ME, AND MY DESIRE FOR FRUIT IS ONLY TO HAVE AN OFFERING TO LAY AT YOUR FEET.”
Eric Gilmour is an Associate Editor for Voice of Revolution, overseeing Revival & Evangelism. Visit his website at agonypress.podbean.com
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Thank you for a beautiful way to come Jesus
The Church is much more adept at knowing what a curse is than a blessing.
When someone is disassociated, they are shunned, prayed against, and members are instructed not even to share a meal with them.
But a leader’s blessing? A word from the pulpit and a wave of the hand. The return? Tithes and offerings. And you wonder why Gnosticism is still present in the Church.
Preachers hardly dare preach Nehemiah because it gives clear examples of what the Shared Blessing is supposed to be. If we preached all of Malachi instead of just 3:10, things would be much more clear as to what a Storehouse is. If 10%, GOD’s portion, goes to a pastor to do whatever he wants, doesn’t that make him god? Hannah is a great example of faithfulness and obedience; now tell us about Tobiah.
In Jesus’ love and name, Ron David Metcalf
Top-level sermon, Eric; no question about it.
The sheep, being used to sacrifice, are always ready for the next offering call; that’s easy; now convince me that sowing into your field will open the Windows of Heaven for my family.
Clergy: “Don’t mess with OUR money.” Laity: “Ain’t yo’ money, Jack.”
This attitude will get you kicked out of 9 out of 10 congregations faster than speaking in tongues without an interpreter. :)
Is it my love for Jesus that’s being called to question here? That the proof of it is in how much I’m willing to sacrifice after hearing this highly-charged motivational teaching? You’re the leader, Eric; that means I look to you; what sacrifice are you willing to make for me, or the guy next to me?
The one-fold (pastor only) old wineskin ministry will end soon; and Jesus’ one fold, those who hear His voice and follow Him emerge. Who will we give our tithes and offerings to? This isn’t our ‘business’? Any charity will do? Let’s start by examining Eli’s sons v. Samuel.
In Him, Ron M.
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”,,,,14 About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,[d] when he has never studied?” 16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’s[e] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. “
We have a King; His name is Jesus, Son of GOD, and Son of man in the Davidic Tribe of Praise (Judah). He has made us kings and priests; yet we have no authority to accomplish the tasks He has given us. Why? Because our blessing has been stolen by king Saul’s hierarchy, and JESUS HATES THE DEEDS AND DOCTRINES OF THE NICOLAITANS.
ZION, Hebrew tSYWN, can be divided into two Hebrew words meaning “wilderness of the Greeks.” We must cross Jordan to enter our physical, soul, and spiritual Providence, where Saul’s dictatorship, the ecumenical vestments are shed like the worn-out garments they are; and we put on the wedding dress of the Remnant Bride, the barren daughter of Zion now blossoming into fruition.
Didactic homilies are dead; we are entering into the passion of Song of Songs 7. Davidic worship and Amos 9:11 will spring up from the ground; will you try to stop it? If you do, you have entered the curse of Malachi 4:6, rather than the blessing of the fathers and sons. This ‘curse’ is Hebrew cHRM, the same ‘devoted thing’ as Achan stole from GOD in Joshua 7. But the valley of Achor (where he was stoned to death) becomes our Door of Hope, and Jesus is the Door.
You can ‘cut me off’; or can join with me. Is your money and Babylonian garment more important than the Truth?
In Him, Ron M.
Some ‘housekeeping’ suggestions:
Changing from an individual to corporate wineskin will eventually be necessary for survival; but until there is a real disaster, the U.S. doesn’t think about it or really have a heart to help; so I’ve found that talking about storehouses and cities of refuge generally falls on deaf ears. But there is a ‘tradition’ of giving @ Thanksgiving & Christmas; so transferring to a genuine Tithe as Father GOD prescribed (BRK instead of AShR, for those who know what I mean) would extend on these latter lines, rather than greatly resisted ‘socialism’ such as kibbutzes or cult strongholds stocked with weapons, which shouldn’t be seen as models for America. BECAUSE government should be reduced to a balanced budget, the Church HAS to start doing what she has been commanded to do all along from a heart of giving, not star-quality entertainment.
Does GOD continue to honor our fasts? Not if they aren’t Isaiah 58 motivated; political finger-pointing won’t be looked upon. Posturing isn’t true repentance; so a mournful attitude is no better than Pharisee games. We may as well be doing a dress rehearsal for the Wedding Feast; but jumping the gun on a festival can be as wrong as overextending a staged fast. This all must be GOD-ordained, and spontaneous to the degree that we know we weren’t the ones who initiated it.
The ‘house’ Beth must reunite with the ‘sons’ Ben- the latter Ezekiel 37 stick joined together. In asking for a portion, we have to join up; and this has been my problem: I will work with any GOD-fearing Christian, but bow to no one except my Lord. NO KING BUT JESUS!
GOD’s plan has always been the movable Tabernacle instead of the permanent House, though He agreed to the latter as a place of prayer to all nations and all generations. He chose Jerusalem, not Rome, Brooklyn, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, or a host of other cities. If you don’t agree with this, we aren’t on the same page.
We can ‘take back our land’ with a ‘going out’ strategy that encompasses Praise and Holy Fire. This is our offense; prayer and caregiving our defense. Enough for now.
In Him, Ron M.
Modern mysticism views the vessel AS Jesus to be adored; television certainly hasn’t done anything to deny the lie; or the modern stage with its microphones, stage lights, and high-tech recording equipment. Debates are now determining who we elect as our President; but look how the candidates are attacking each other.
While the world zones us in on the next potential antichrist (thinking back, probably every presidential candidate has been called that since Kennedy, only because before that I was too young to notice); what SHOULD the Church be doing instead of promoting its leaders? It is sad to even ask this; it shows that most of the ‘laity’ are still satisfied to listen to a weekly sermon rather than read the Bible for themselves. So I suggest: 1) get a Strong’s computer concordance- you don’t have to pay a lot, there are some programs that are free; 2) let the Holy Spirit guide you as to TOPIC; something you are interested in rather than dry chapter-by-chapter drudgery. 3) Let’s say you want to study LOVE: find all the verses, go through them, pick a few favorites, and then look at them in Hebrew or Greek for the wealth of the original languages. For those who are called to this, there is much Joy and Peace in doing it.
In Him, Ron M.
Multitudes, multitudes…
in the Valley of decision, or,
in a Valley of empowerment???
Decision on hearing the Word for what end and
purpose? And numbers were added to their
communion daily.
Beloved, These are the final hours of these
last days, where, we must look to a maturing
model for founding our own loyalties,
alignment, and a faithful reproduction of His
discipleship–according to His Commission,
in force until the End of the Age. To light
our lamps, and keep them trimmed, we receive
Him, we acknowledge our community of service
to others as not the Message of ourselves, but
of Him and His life and Way. There is no new
revelation greater than making ourselves ready
for His Return, and appointed disclosed
advent.
These are critical days to make disciples unto
Him, according to His Commission, teaching of
all He shared, was, and instructed. This is
the person of chosen light we have received,
let us go after no other, no matter what is
supposed of experience, suggestion, or
highlight. It is time for the full stature
of the Bride to be joining with the Bridegroom
to be.
We do not preach ourselves, or special
experience, or new language and rhetoric for
what is established, given, and appointed for
each, for refreshing and faith, love and
honor, for focus of devotion, purpose and
regard of the coming joining ahead, as He is
in us now, for His sake.