What do you think of when you hear the word kick? Kick in the seat of the pants. A child throwing a tantrum? The winning field goal? A thrill of some sort? The sudden stimulation provided by an energy drink? A swimmer using his legs? A runner’s final burst of speed as he sprints toward the finish line? This morning we are going to examine what God meant when he asked Priest Eli why he kicked at God’s sacrifices and God’s offerings? In order to do so we must first turn to I Samuel 2:10

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed.” 1 Samuel 2:10 (ESV)
I Samuel represents a time of transition. We are leaving the period of the Judges, and transitioning to the time of the Kings. Judges was a time of revivals. There was repeated backsliding by God’s people, followed by revival brought by a man of God’s choosing. Sometimes He even chose a woman.
Are we today to look for revival? Certainly you have felt the hunger for God to show His power! But I don’t believe that is to be the focus of a church in the last days. God does not intend for that to be our focus.
God is transitioning towards His Kingdom. He is planning for a King. The Prophet Samuel becomes the link between the sorry history of the Judges and the ultimate fullness represented by King David. He stands as a man of Prayer at the junction of the road to God’s purpose. A great change is to take place and a Kingdom to be ushered in, and prayer will bridge the gap.
In the hour of need kneels a woman who is totally given to despair. In her great need she cries out to God in silence, and ushers in the man who will bridge the gap and oversee its transition. In her prayer she both thanks God for the gift, and then gives it back to Him, to be used as He wills.
Hannah provides the blueprint for what is most needed in our church at this hour as we prepare for what I believe is a very critical year in the life of Pleasant Prairie Baptist church.
Whether we want it or not, God is working His will in our lives. He is working His will in the life of this church. God is wanting His Holy Spirit to be free to exalt and glorify His Son, our soon coming King. He wants us to be willing for the Holy Spirit to work in Power through people who are given to and willing to be used by the Holy Spirit in preparing to bring the coming Kingdom in!
The message from the AMEN, the true and faithful one, the beginning of God’s creation was to listen to Him knocking, and to open the door that we may fellowship with Him. We are to mortgage and sell everything we have to buy Gold refined by fire – that which has stood the test of God and shown its worth, and to clothe ourselves with white garments that we not be naked and worthless.
The message to our church this morning is what will we chose to be in 2008. Will we continue to be satisfied and self-content, or will we be so desperate for Worth in our life that we will be willing to give everything to buy gold tried in fire, to clothe ourselves with the garments provided by the Savior who is knocking at the door of this church.
If Pleasant Prairie is to partake in God’s plan for His coming Kingdom, we must cry out for that which is of Worth to God, for His Son to reign in our midst. We must listen for His gentle knock, and open the door, that He might involve us in His Kingdom!
Here then is the test of a heart that is prepared to be used of God in establishing His Kingdom.
It involves the place of honor in your heart.
Who do you honor with your thoughts and actions?
Eli thought he was honoring God with his actions as High Priest for Israel. Yet God told him that he was kicking at the sacrifice and offering unto God. He was honoring his sons more than God. Eli was putting his needs and his sons needs before the needs of God.
The question before our church as we approach 2008: How will you honor God this coming year?