1 Samuel 1:2 He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

Tony Evans once preached that: Debt has become a way of life. There are now three groups of people in our nation: The Haves, the Have-Nots, and the Have-Not-Paid-For-What-They-Have. Instead of living for the future, people are now paying for the past. Debt has become the new addiction.

Hannah was barren physically. For whatever reason she could not bear children. She was a have not. Unfortunately she failed to see what she had: 1 Samuel 1: 4-5, 8 When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, ….But to Hannah he gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had given her no children….Then Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you cry? And why do you not eat? And why are you grieving? Am I not more to you than ten sons?

Hannah focused on the “haves” and the “have nots” – rather than focusing on what she had. Unfortunately, her focus on the “haves” seemed to lead to an offense with God: but the Lord had given her no children….Psalm 119:165 states: Great peace have they who love Your Law and NOTHING shall offend them. John 5 recounts the story of a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. Although Jesus knew of his condition He had not healed him, yet. In Acts 3 Peter and John entered through the Beautiful Gate, or Eastern Gate – Jesus, and all Jews would have passed through in order to pray three times a day. Jesus would have passed by this lame man – without healing him. How many times have we failed to see where God is at work because of our offense at where He wasn’t?

Making matters worse, Hannah had a “sister wife” who added to her offense: [This embarrassed and grieved Hannah] and her rival provoked her greatly to vex her, because the Lord had left her childless.⁷ So it was year after year; whenever Hannah went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah provoked her, so she wept and did not eat. (1 Samuel 1:6-7) Beware of anyone who seeks to aid you in your offense – whether it be yours or there’s. Oftentimes, we are led to believe that we need to find a commiserator – one who will share in our offense. Truth be told nothing good comes of it.

Peter and John proceeded through the Beautiful Gate to worship – not stumbling over any offense. The interesting thing about the word Beautiful is that in the Greek it carries the sense of “at the right time,” thereby signifying “ripe” or “perfectly developed.” Peter, John, and Hannah’s faith, perfectly developed, overcame their possible offenses at barrenness and pressed in to God: 1 Samuel 1:10-13 And [Hannah] was in distress of soul, praying to the Lord and weeping bitterly.¹¹ She vowed, saying, O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your handmaid and [earnestly] remember, and not forget Your handmaid but will give me a son, I will give him to the Lord all his life; … And as she continued praying before the Lord, Eli noticed her mouth.¹³ Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. In that moment of faith, Hannah moved from the have nots – to living in the future Hall of Faith. She ceased being a debtor to the past – breaking her addiction to it. Her faith moved God. She became intoxicated with trust in a God Who could be moved. Scripture says, We have not because we ask not. Yet, it adds, Ask, Seek, and Knock.

A.W. Tozer once said, Behold how these Christians die, they say. And I repeat, they only died well because they’d lived well. And a man who hasn’t lived well will have a tough time getting in.…So, remember it, that a Christian dare die if he’s lived right, and he’s got his hope alive and he’s been born of the Spirit and walking with God. But he doesn’t dare die if he hasn’t. A man who’s only a church member doesn’t dare die, and yet he has to, and there’s a tragedy of it. Forced to do what he morally doesn’t dare to do. They said to old Uncle Tom, tell me where she is. He said, I can’t, Master, I can’t. Tell us where she is. I can’t, Master, I can’t. Tell us where she is or we’ll kill you. Well, Master, I can die. He couldn’t betray a friend, but he could die. So Christians dare to die.”

Followers of Christ will eventually have to choose to follow Jesus to their own death. But the death will not be physical but spiritual. Often Jesus will invite us to surrender our offenses yielding to faith in the unseen. He will invite us to worship through our times of asking, seeking and knocking. During these times will others be able to say of you, Behold how these Christians die? If you consider Jesus your friend, or truly want to be, can you lay down your life for Him?