My Baby Promise: In Due time

Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. (1 Samuel 1:2 NIV)

Dear Father, for a long time now, I have been labeled as 'the one with no child.' In my family, peer group, and office, and even in church, almost all my batch mates have children, except my wife and I.

So Father, only You can change this.

But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. (1 Samuel 1:5 NIV)

Receiving a double portion is fine and wonderful. But what good is it if I can’t enjoy it with my own child?

Oh, dear Lord, please open my wife's womb. I am done asking why it is this way, but by Your grace, You have stretched my faith to ask you instead to open my wife's womb.

Oh Lord, You are always good. There are things I don't fully understand, but it doesn't mean You have been unkind. Just because my wife has not been pregnant all this time doesn't mean You are unkind. But You have given us this promise, not to tease us, but for You to fulfill as our hearts get prepared for it.

Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. (1 Samuel 1:6 NIV)

And Lord, this does not escape your attention, that because we are childless, our antagonists bully us and make fun of us. But for whatever reason they may have to provoke us, it really doesn't matter. What truly matters is that You come and end our childlessness.

Oh Lord, for the glory of Your name, for the honor of Your reputation, please open my wife's womb. Be glorified and worshiped by causing my wife to conceive.

This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. (1 Samuel 1:7 NIV)

My Lord, I keep on coming back here to this same thing, year after year after year. Sometimes, I forget what I started believing in the first place, and just see the taunting and provoking. Dear Lord, I don't want to lose sight of your promise. I want to move on from here... with our baby in my arms.

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “ Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:10, 11 NIV)

And so Lord, here I am, praying in deep anguish and bitter weeping. Please look on me and my wife, your servants, with favor, and feel our misery. Remember us, oh Lord, and give us a baby.

My Lord and my God, all that I am is Yours. We are all yours. The child to be born to us is Yours. We are all yours all the days of our lives. With child or not, we are still Yours, now and forever.

Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” (1 Samuel 1:19-20 NIV)

Oh Lord, I will never slack in worshiping you. I go early to my church service hour, I will arise and prepare my heart for worship. And as my wife and I get together, please remember us.

How wonderful can it be that after praying this, in nine months hereon I'll have a baby! Hallelujah!

Dear Father, in due time, please cause my wife to conceive. This is something that only You can do.

Please remember our plea, our request, our petition, this very thing that we ask of you. And we know we have asked the right Person. Oh Father, we ask for our very own 'Samuel' - a baby as answer to our prayers for you are the God who hears.

And because you are a very mindful Father - you do not forget, nor would you ignore us – so then we will have a baby.

Hannah’s Epilogue:

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:27-28 NIV)

Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:19-21 NIV)

Bishopric and Episkopé: The Ministry of Visitation

The KJV word is bishoprick , which is now archaic in spelling. Most Bible translators didn’t use the modern spelling ‘ bishopric,’ and that, for a good reason. #Acts1v20 For it is written in the book of Psalms: “Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell in it.”, and, “His bishopric, let another take.” A quick google search shows that bishopric means: the office or rank of a bishop. · a district under a bishop's control; a diocese. But looking closely at the Greek word, episkopé, reveals a deeper meaning: a visiting, an overseeing [Strong's]. Here's the kicker: bishopric k is not a desk job; it's fieldwork. An excellent, Spirit-filled bishop or pastor performs the act of visitation. How does one effectively "oversee" a flock? By being with them, by being among them. When God calls one to be a pastor of a people, the expectation is not like that of a manager who stays in the offic...

The Curse of the Thief

I n the middle of audit week, our company accountants decided not to show up. As it turned out, they embezzled some money. What struck me the most was that the people who did it were not strangers; they were like mothers and aunts. We saw them almost every day, smile at them, laugh with them, and made plans together. As part of the management team, we ate out and had a friendly good time. It was heartbreaking to realize that the people in the news for some criminal activity had the same profile as those that I had warm and cuddly relations with. But loyalty goes up. My love for God supersedes any other relationship. I feel sad, yes, but I have no inkling to cover for them. If anything, I am upset because I was this close to them, and yet, clueless. My colleagues and I were mixed emotions. On one hand, we felt betrayed. The suspects were like family. We confided in them and planned activities with them in all sincerity and warmth. But maybe, just maybe, they were truthful and sincere...

There's a lot on my plate, and I've bitten off more than I could chew

#Josh10v12 On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon." NLT But why? Why delay the sun from setting? v.13 So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. NLT Until the work is done… When I have a lot of things to do and I don't know how to start, or it looks too huge for me - then, as always, I would need more grace and supernatural help. In v.9, Joshua traveled all night. (More coffee, please!) Sometimes, it's just too exhausting. But the Lord comes and breaks it down for us (v.10). But still, I have to do my part: continue to stretch my faith and flex my muscles. In v.11, the heaven-sent-hail did more work than the Israelites did with their efforts. God is just so gracious and kind. He carries us… The Hebrew for Amorites could mean 'm...

John 14

Read the Whole Bible in 0ne Year. See Other Bible Versions for Fresh Insight. [The King Version for this chapter is coming soon…]

Acts 2

the king version And when the day of Pentecost had [1] fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly, there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fire [2] , and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in [3] other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were Jews dwelling at Jerusalem, devout men out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because every [4] man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, “Behold, are not all these who [5] speak Galilaeans? 8 And how we hear every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesop...

My God Prevents Infertility and Miscarriages

Worship and serve only the Eternal your God, and I will bless you with an ample supply of wholesome food and clean water. I will take away all sickness from you, prevent miscarriages and barrenness, and give you long, productive lives. (Exodus 23:25-26 Voice) Image courtesy of Pixabay Abba Father, Thank you, for healing us of any sickness. Thank you for helping my wife conceive by making us both fertile, and for preventing my wife in having any miscarriages. Oh my Lord, there are a lot of risks involved, a lot of life-threatening issues, but you will deliver us from them all. I worship you with all that I am. I serve you with all of my being. Please be delighted to add another worshiper in this family - a child. Bless us, o Lord, with our own baby. May we enjoy a long and productive life of raising a child from the womb you have blessed!

Acts 5

the king version But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has [1] Satan filled your [2] heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own power? Why have [3] you [4] conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied unto men, but unto God.” 5 And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the spirit [5] , and great fear came on all those who [6] heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wrapped [7] him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about after [8] three hours later [9] when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 An...

One Life One Death

I only live once, and die once. And then, my life is evaluated. Hebrews 9:27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (NIV) Contrary to traditional religious beliefs, we don't reincarnate. We only live once, and die once. And there will be a day of reckoning. All that will happen in the afterlife is decided while we are still alive. We immediately face the consequences of our earthly decisions when we die. If one is living for God, then that life will continue to be with God. If one is living away from God, then that's where that person will be in the afterlife - an eternity away from God. No amount of prayers from family, friends and opportunists can alter that consequence. The dead loved one has sealed his or her fate. Heaven is a "no wang-wang zone". True justice is only with God. If one can buy their way in to heaven, then righteousness is useless. Share your burbles here. ...

God's Suddenly Is Greater!

The storms of life can come suddenly . But no worries! When our Lord Jesus speaks the Word, these storms will suddenly be calm. Be it a COVID surge, a financial fallout, or both and more, our Savior can save us from them all. “Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.” [Matthew 8:24-26 NLT]

Blood or Wine

The Lord God who turned water into blood is the same Savior who turned water into wine. God's first act of public judgment against Egypt was turning water into blood. But our Lord Jesus' first miracle on record was turning water into wine, and it's about blessing a social event. How do I want my Miracle Worker to come to me, with a sword or with some sweets? I'd rather run to the Father of grace and mercy, live a holy life, and receive His bountiful blessings for me.

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