Vince Miller Podcast Vince Miller

Is there a rivalry holding you back?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
We are in a brand new series on 1 Samuel, and we have just begun chapter one. The theme of the first chapter is the six people who influenced Samuel's life. The first is Elkanah, Samuel's father. The second is Peninnah, Samuel's second wife.
Before we read the text, let's set the stage for Peninnah. We know little about her, but her actions in verses 4-8 reveal a lot about her character and the dynamics of her relationship with Hannah.
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. And 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 more to you than ten sons?” — 1 Samuel 1:4-8
For context, it's crucial to note that during Elkanah's time, the place of sacrifice was in Shiloh, about fifteen miles north of their town. This was where the Tabernacle resided, as the Temple had not yet been constructed. This detail indicates Elkanah's devoutness, faithfully adhering to the command to go up to the Tabernacle for annual sacrifices.
However, it's evident from the text that Elkanah shows favoritism toward Hannah over Peninnah. He seems unaware of the impact this has on their relationship, which is characteristic of many men. Sometimes, God-fearing men make decisions without considering their long-term effects. While Elkanah and Hannah likely decided together to find a concubine to bear children, they were evidently unprepared for the relational, emotional, and spiritual repercussions. One consequence is the escalating tension between the two wives, a complication of polygamy, with Peninnah becoming a rival, as the text describes.
What strikes me about Peninnah's character is her propensity to provoke Hannah. She is mean-spirited, likely fueled by jealousy over Elkanah's greater love for Hannah. When love is unevenly distributed, it breeds contention and competition, leading to the kind of rivalry Peninnah incites. This contention escalated over time, taking an emotional and psychological toll on Hannah, evident in her bitter weeping and loss of appetite.
It's intriguing how sin operates. When we act outside of God's will, sin's effects are insidious and far-reaching. One sinful act in a marriage can permeate every aspect of life, breeding bitterness, anger, regret, and sadness. And when someone in a marriage, like Peninnah, knows how to stoke that flame, it can rage into a consuming fire within us. If you are married and you feel this contention, don't add to it. What we need in marriage is not more rivalry and provoking. What Christian marriages need is more grace because we are both sinners who act sinfully and whose sin has a long-lasting effect.
But back to the big picture.
Samuel's family wasn't perfect. His father's sin led to a jealous wife who sowed rivalry within the family. Yet, despite this, God performed miracles, setting the stage for the birth of a new legacy. He opened Hannah's womb and gave them a biological child. Not just any child, but one of Israel's greatest prophets and judges.
Maybe today, it's time for you to pray for the beginning of a new legacy—one beyond sin, rivalry, provoking, shame, and sadness. If so, come to the Temple, return to God, bring the sacrifice to him, and ask him to provide.
Lord, we come before you, bringing all that we are—our sin and shame, our past, present, and future. We lay it all down at your feet. We humbly ask for your provision, knowing that we are unable to provide for ourselves. Amen.
#InfluencesOfF

Do you feel small, like a nobody from nowhere?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
We are in a brand new series on 1 Samuel. As I mentioned yesterday, we will do an overview of the chapter on Mondays and then, for the following six days, a closer look at that chapter. The theme we are looking at in chapter one is the six people who influenced Samuel's life. The first of these is Elkanah, his father.
What's interesting about Elkanah is that he is a nobody from nowhere. We know little about him and his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, all named in the text. Here are verses 1-3.
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. — 1 Samuel 1:1-3
What does stand out when we read this text is that Elkanah had two wives.
This is such a glaring observation that we should probably address it. Many of you know he's not the only man in the Bible who had more than one wife. Several prominent men in the Old Testament, like Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and others, had more than one wife.
There were about three reasons for this:
The first apparent reason is personal pleasure and power. Such was the case with Solomon and his over 700 concubines.
Second, it's worth noting that in patriarchal societies, unmarried women faced significant challenges in providing for themselves. They were often uneducated and untrained and relied heavily on male family members like fathers, brothers, or husbands for support and protection. Unfortunately, when this was absent, it led to desperate measures, like turning to prostitution or slavery. Therefore, sometimes marriage was a way to rescue a woman, another reason some men had multiple wives.
The third reason is the instance here. Elkanah and his first wife, Hannah, were unable to conceive. Therefore, they probably agreed to take another wife (which should sound familiar because Abraham and Sarah did the same thing). Thus, Elkanah took another wife for reasons of family continuity.
What is interesting about polygamy is that the Bible does not expressly condemn it. But fellas, before you get any crazy ideas, the Bible is very clear about the prescription of a godly marital relationship: one man with one woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6).
Like Abraham and Sarah, Elkanah and Hannah inherited problems that stemmed from their lack of faith. That's the bottom line of this situation. They lacked faith in believing God would provide, so they provided for themselves, which is what we do sometimes. When we don't have faith trusting God to provide, we try to provide for ourselves. And when we provide for ourselves, we incur the problems of providing for ourselves and not letting God provide. As we will see further down in chapter one, they incurred family tension, sexual insecurities, competition, contention, and shame.
With this in mind, I would like to point out one tiny detail about Elkanah worth our attention: He is an Ephrathite. This area was later known as Bethlehem and became the birthplace of two other great men. This means the Prophet Samuel, King David, and the Messiah were all born in the same tiny, seemingly insignificant town and were great men in the great story of God.
I love it when God does stuff like this. I would not put it past God for all three men to be born in the same location.
Believers too often fail to see the opportunity for greatness in the small events of our lives. I know I do. With small seeds of faith in insignificant places and from apparent unimportant people, God can produce incredible things. So, if you feel insignificant, inconsequentia

GET THE 1 SAMUEL JOURNAL HERE: 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/1SamuelJournal
Who are the people who have undeniably influenced your life?
Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.
We are in a brand new series on 1 Samuel. As this is a rich and expansive story, I will provide a birds-eye view of the chapter each Monday, followed by six devotionals from that chapter for the next 31 weeks. This will allow us to explore the larger story at the beginning of the week and the smaller details for the remainder of the week.
1 Samuel is divided into three major parts that discuss three important men:
Part One: The Story of Samuel (1 Samuel 1-8) Part Two: The Story of Saul (1 Samuel 9-14) Part Three: The Story of Saul and David (1 Samuel 15-31) But we begin in chapter one, and here are the first few verses:
There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the other was Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. — 1 Samuel 1:1-2
The story begins with Samuel's father and the events surrounding Samuel's birth. In chapter one, we read about six different people—six men and women with undeniable influence. Over the next few days, we explore the lives of these characters, each with a unique story and impact. For some, it was a positive and spiritual influence, and for others, not so much. Stay tuned as we uncover and discover their roles in this story.
As I have already hinted, this book predominantly tells the story of Samuel, a man with incredible spiritual influence.
But here's the immediate backdrop.
It's about 1050 B.C. Leadership was a burning issue in the minds of the people of Israel. For over 200 years after entering the promised land, Israel went through intense social turmoil, bordering on chaos, a little like the social turmoil we are experiencing in our country today but far worse. Joshua was the man who led them from the Desert to the Promised Land, but as we learn, people were not listening or following God because spiritual drift does not take long.
Just before 1 Samuel, we discover a sobering observation at the end of the Book of Judges:
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.—Judges 21:25.
Israel was in the middle of a profound leadership crisis. But right on time, Samuel was born and emerged as one of the greatest Judges and Prophets in the history of Israel who would transition the nation from a Theocracy to a Monarchy led by three subsequent kings: Saul, David, and Solomon.
Samuel would indeed be one of the great influencers in all of the Old Testament, but in chapter one, there are people who influenced him even before he was born. These people played a role in this story and had an influence, good or bad, on the events of his early life. We will look in detail at these people.
But again let me ask that question, that I asked at the start:
Who are the people who have undeniably influenced your life?
There are people influencing you. Some positive and others negative. Their character, their attitudes, their lifestyles, their proximity, their choices, and their faith have an impact on you. So, who are you spending time with?
At the same time, we are all leaders in some capacity, and we influence others. So the other side of this question is, how are you influencing the people around you? Does your character, attitude, lifestyle, proximity, choices, and faith positively impact those around you?
As we read chapter one over the next week, I encourage you to take a personal assessment of those influencing you and the influence you have, and let's see what we learn and discover together from 1 Samuel 1.
#InfluentialEncounters
#ImpactfulConnections
#UndeniableInfluences
ASK THIS:
Reflect on the positive influences in your life. How can you express

Happy Mother's Day!
And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” — 1 Samuel 1:20
Today, we begin a new book of the bible, and it's fitting that today is Mother’s Day because 1 Samuel begins with a humble and obedient mother. Her name is Hannah. Hannah is one of two wives married to a man named Elkanah, and why a man would want two wives perplexes me. But anyhow, this man has two. Their names are Peninnah and Hannah.
As we read chapter one, we discover that Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. For this, Peninnah would relentlessly ridicule Hannah, which was mean and vicious and just one of many issues with having two wives (1 Samuel 1:6). Of course, this troubled Hannah to the point of emotional distress and loss of appetite (1 Samuel 1:7). Until finally, we discover that Hannah is pushed to her limits. She is at the Temple of the Lord by herself, weeping bitterly and praying in her distress (1 Samuel 1:10). As this is happening, insult is added to injury by a priest with absolutely no emotional intelligence that berates her, his name is Eli (1 Samuel 1:14). She begs him not to dismiss her. Then he offers Hannah this blessing in verse 17:
Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” — 1 Samuel 1:17
Of course, in time, she gave birth to a son—but not just any son—Samuel.
Samuel was a prominent Old Testament leader known for his dual roles as a prophet and judge. He was dedicated to God's service from a young age. As a prophet, he played a crucial role in spiritually guiding the nation of Israel. He also anointed the first two kings in the monarchy, Saul and David. But Samuel also served as a judge, settling disputes and leading the nation in crisis.
His influence was longstanding and profound because he bridged the transition from the period of the Judges to the period of the Kings. Samuel's integrity, wisdom, and devotion to God left a lasting legacy, shaping Israel's history and demonstrating the importance of faithfulness and obedience in leadership.
But note the seed through which his massive influence was born. It was through a humble and obedient mother who endured ridicule, who suffered heartbreak, and who prayed earnestly and faithfully to God.
So today, let’s celebrate mothers, the women of faith who inspire us to trust in God’s promises and obey his will.
Happy Mother’s Day!
#MothersDay
#FaithfulMotherhood
#HannahAndSamuel
ASK THIS:
Reflecting on Hannah's perseverance through ridicule and heartbreak, how can we apply her example of unwavering faith and persistence in our own challenges?
Considering Samuel's influential role in Israel's history, how does his story inspire us to recognize the profound impact of godly motherhood in shaping future generations? How can we honor and support the mothers in our lives today?
DO THIS: Celebrate and thank a faithful mother.
PRAY THIS: Father, on this Mother's Day, I thank You for Hannah's steadfast faith and Samuel's impactful legacy. They remind us of the power of prayer and the influence of godly women. Bless all mothers today, and may they seek to be faithful to you just as Hannah was. Amen.
PLAY THIS: A Mother Like You.

Are you tired of all the pointless drama?
We begin 1 Samuel tomorrow, so get your 1 Samuel Scripture Journal from the website so you can follow along.
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. — Galatians 6:16-17
I love the allusion in the closing text. If I were to put this text in my own words, Paul is saying:
If you want to see and know the marks of Jesus, let me take off my shirt for you. Five times, I have been beaten with 39 lashes. I have been shipwrecked. I have been stoned and left for dead. Your pointless ritual of cutting off a tiny piece of your foreskin does nothing for you. Instead, try enduring a beating for sharing the Gospel, and then you will know the Gospel. So stop bothering me with these petty issues and join me in real suffering by proclaiming the Gospel just as it is. For the Gospel has all the grace you need to endure every issue in this life.
Church, I have loved reading this letter with you. But never forget Paul's point.
Adding anything to the Gospel makes it no Gospel at all. Salvation is by faith alone, not by works so that no man can boast except in Christ Jesus alone.
#DramaFreeLiving
#GraceInSuffering
#GospelCenteredLife
ASK THIS:
How can we distinguish between the petty dramas of life and the enduring truths of the Gospel in our daily experiences? Reflecting on Paul's words, what steps can we take to prioritize proclaiming the Gospel above getting entangled in trivial matters, and how might this shift in focus transform our lives and relationships? DO THIS: Don't add anything to the Gospel.
PRAY THIS: Father, help me discern what truly matters amidst life's distractions, and empower me to boldly proclaim the Gospel with unwavering faith and grace-filled endurance. May Your Spirit guide me to live a life that reflects the marks of Jesus, bearing witness to Your transformative love in all I do. Amen.
PLAY THIS: The Power of the Cross.

It's all for God. It's his mission, his people, and his glory, not yours.
We are days away from beginning the book of 1 Samuel. So remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. Pick it up so you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.— Galatians 6:16
As Paul closes this letter, he wants the Galatians to know that they don't get to have their way with God's story. It's God's story about Israel. They only get to tell the story as it is. While there are Judaizers who want to modify and adjust it to their liking, God does not like this.
I have often repeated a maxim that echoes this idea. It goes like this: The church is God's people, on God's mission, for God's glory. I repeat this maxim to myself to remind myself, as a leader and other leaders, that God is the only leader. We are merely followers of God even though he might give us the task of shepherding a few sheep in our lifetime.
But as Paul clarifies, this is the best way to walk. It's to walk by this rule because it is the only way to find the peace and mercy we want and need.
Friend, this is the most peaceful way to live life. Let God be God. Live by his rules, and don't make up your own. Are you ready to submit to his rules again?
God, we submit our lives to you today. We remember again that you are telling your story for your glory, not our own. Father, may we follow you all our days and walk in all your ways. Amen.
#GodsMission
#HisGlory
#SurrenderToGod
ASK THIS:
How can you actively surrender your plans and desires to God today, trusting in His mission and His timing? In what areas of your life are you tempted to assert your own control instead of submitting to God's leadership? What steps can you take to align your priorities with His will? DO THIS: Proclaim it today: It's his mission, his people, and his glory, not yours.
PRAY THIS: Father God, today I humbly submit my life to Your perfect plan, recognizing that Your mission and Your glory far surpass my own desires. Help me to walk in Your ways, finding peace and joy as I surrender to Your leadership and follow Your story for my life. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Come and Rest.