Happy Mother's Day! Today, we begin our new series, "Faith Matters," and while this is not a mother-specific sermon, we will be talking about how a woman named, Hannah, dealt with a very difficult and emotional situation and eventually became a mother.

After yearly torment and taunting from her husband's second wife, Peninnah, Hannah approached God by faith and in prayer, asking Him to put His hands on a situation that was out of her hands. She specifically asked God for a son, whom she vowed to give back to Him in the process.

Hannah beautifully exemplifies how we should deal with our own “impossible” situations. She shows us why faith really matters!

Key Text: 1 Samuel 1,
Hannah

Raising the next generation to know and love the Lord is the most important thing any of us can do with our lives. For many, it might look like discipling a friend or younger Christian. For parents, that looks like intentionally discipling their children at home.

We all play a role in passing down the faith, and this is a responsibility we must take seriously. In today's lesson, we learn from the story of Eli the priest what can happen if we don't.

Key Text: 1 Samuel 2, Eli

Samuel grew up serving the Lord, training to be a priest in the temple. Then, God called him to the even larger role of prophet. And his first task was to bring some devastating news to the man who had trained him.

God has a calling for each of us, but how do we know what that calling is? And once we understand our calling... how do we follow through with it as obedient followers of Christ?

Key Text: 1 Samuel 3, Samuel

Today, we're taking a crash course on King Saul, whose life was something like a Greek tragedy. Saul started as a regular man in the tribe of Benjamin. God selected him to be the first king of Israel when the people begged for a ruler to be appointed over them. Saul was strong, good looking, and everything the people wanted in a king... until he disobeyed God's instructions on how he should deal with a very wicked enemy.

When God sends Samuel to confront Saul about his actions, he explains that God desires obedience over sacrifice. From this text we learn that obedience is important and disobedience is often tragic.

The Holy War Notes that David referenced can be found in the Choose Life Sermon Series, Lesson 8: "Am I Good Enough?" here: https://www.northboulevard.com/sermon/08-am-i-good-enough%3F

Find David's Book "Resilient" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Resilient-Standing-Firm-Hostile-World/dp/1959467050

Key Text: 1 Samuel 15:1-28

Everyone's heard of the famous faith-filled clash between David and Goliath, but there is more to this story than the allegorical tale of an underdog overcoming unbeatable odds! THIS is the story of what happens when someone has audacious faith in the delivering power of God.

To find such a pocket of faith requires that we see all challenges of life through spiritual lenses, which the Holy Spirit makes possible in the life of the believer.

Key Text: 1 Samuel 17, David

Happy Father's Day! Today we conclude our "Faith Matters" series with a close look at Jonathan, son of King Saul, and his friendship with David. Their relationship is a prime example of masculine, brotherly love, and it's from them that we learn about the deep bonds formed between men when they fight or "slay dragons" side by side.

The church is intended to be God's provision for our need to love and be loved by others — we are God's loving family! Be encouraged and take another step into richer relationships that help to influence us for good and to fight against loneliness and the sins it can bring.

Key Text: 1 Samuel 18:1-4, Jonathan