SERVING GOD IN SIN

1 Samuel 2:12-17 (AMP)

 

The sons of Eli [Hophni and Phinehas] were worthless (dishonourable, unprincipled) men; they did not know [nor respect] the Lord

 

13 and the custom of the priests with [the sacrifices of] the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged [meat] fork in his hand;

 

14 then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did in Shiloh to all [the sacrifices of] the Israelites who came there.

 

15 Also, before they burned (offered) the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat to roast, since he will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.”

 

16 If the man said to him, “Certainly they are to burn (offer) the fat first, and then you may take as much as you want,” then the priest’s servant would say, “No! You shall give it to me now or I will take it by force.”

 

17 So the sin of the [two] young men [Hophni and Phinehas] was very great before the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord disrespectfully.

 

Dear people of God, it is a great privilege for a human to be called of God to serve Him especially as a minister of the Gospel.

 

However, it is a dangerous thing to get used to being a minister of God and then begin to serve and treat the Lord with contempt, with utter disrespect.

 

This was the case of the priests Hophni and Phinehas who were the priest Eli's sons.

 

You can see from today's Scripture how they disregarded God's commands in the manner of offering sacrifices and made the people offend God in the process.

 

Despite the fact that their father Eli rebuked them, they refused to take correction until the Lord decided to end their lives - 1 Samuel 2:22-25.

 

In today's world, we have a number of people who behave like Eli's sons because they are serving God and have made God their mate.

 

Such examples include:

 

1. Coming late to Church.

2. Taking phone calls while Church service is going on.

3. Diverting Tithes and offerings to personal use.

4. Engaging in side conversations while the preacher is delivering God's Word.

5. Abusing and insulting Church members over trivial issues and when they try to correct the error of the leader.

6. Committing fornication and adultery with single and married sisters of the congregation.

7. Offering torn and dilapidated currency notes.

 

Dear friend, are you behaving like Hophni and Phinehas because God has not taken action against you?

 

Repent today and now before it is too late.

 

Remember God gave Hophni and Phinehas time to repent but they refused until they eventually perished and today, even as I write this, they are in eternal damnation and cannot ever come out of it.

 

Always put God first in everything you do and never get to the point where you believe God understands and so you can now violate His commands at will.

 

No, God will never accept that because it is rebellion against Him to disobey His commands.

 

A Word is enough for the wise.

 

Jesus’ coming for His children in the Rapture is imminent. Are you His child or are you born again? Are you ready for Him?

 

Come to Jesus Christ the Word of God today and now, for tomorrow or later may be too late for you.

 

May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus’ Most Powerful Name, Amen.

 

Gabriel Ama.