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GENESIS 18 SARAH’S LAUGHTER AT HAVING A CHILD

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December 13

GENESIS 18

9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.” – Genesis 18:9-15

GENESIS 18 SARAH’S LAUGHTER AT HAVING A CHILD

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

When the Lord visited Abraham to announce his coming child

Secretly, Sarah was listening by the tent door and laughed

Abraham and Sarah were in their nineties so she was amused

She couldn’t believe how her old body could still conceive.

Then the Lord confronted why Sarah laughed

Out of fear, Sarah automatically denied she did

The Lord asked her “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?”

The promise of the Lord to Abraham was to give him a son through Sarah.

Previously, when announced to have a child at their very old age, Abraham laughed too. His laughter was more of rejoicing because he believed that there was nothing impossible with God. In this account, Sarah’s laughter was not like Abraham’s. It was more of disbelief She couldn’t fathom how her ninety years old body could still get pregnant. It was more of a doubt than rejoicing. When confronted with that unbelief, she automatically denied it. Don’t we do that all? We are automated to defend our doubts when it is exposed and justify and reason out. That is just par of our sinful nature.

REFLECTION

  • Share an occasion of you or someone close who laughed at some impossibilities.

THE MORE I CALL, THE FARTHER THEY MOVED Poem Devotional

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March 22________________________________________
But the more I called to him, the farther he moved from me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols. – Hosea 11:2(NLT)
THE MORE I CALL, THE FARTHER THEY MOVED
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you hear God’s voice calling you back to him?
Are you heeding his call or are you stuck in sin?
When God calls some people moved farther away
They choose to live in bondage and continue to stray.
Why don’t his followers stay faithful and true?
Why do we usually choose to stay in trouble and rue?
Follow the voice that comes from God’s nudging
It will bring victory over the enemy’s tempting
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Why did the Israelites choose to turn their backs on God after they were delivered and brought to the Promised Land? It sounds like the relationship between a parent and a rebellious child. The more parents ask them to obey, the more they rebel, just like the more God called the Israelites to him, the farther away they moved from him. They defied God instead and offered sacrifices to the images of Baal, another pagan god and burned incense to idols. They knew that the very first commandment that God asked from them to obey is not to have any other gods before him but to love him above all. So, they deliberately followed the spirit of rebellion and idolatry.
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PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from any idols that I have carved for myself and other gods.
REFLECTION
What kind of idols today do we worship that we are unaware of?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD NEWS Poem Devotional

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June 5________________________________________
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. – Mark 9:35 (NLT)
FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD NEWS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you find it hard to let go of things in life?
What this world offers keeps you away from the light
When you hang on to the things of this world
You will lose God’s voice and the wisdom from his Word.
Remember that only the Good News saves
The world tempts you and makes you crave
It is in letting God take control of your life
That you find peace, freedom and insight.
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I am amazed at how many people cling to the material things offered by this world. I saw a video from a third world country who had a catastrophic typhoon and saw many people swept away by the rushing flood while they clung so hard to their possessions. Some died hugging objects that they couldn’t do without. It is such a painful sight to behold when people are enslaved by their love for the things of this life. Some of these victims of calamities died because of they couldn’t let go of these things. They could have saved their lives if they did. The bible says that if you try to cling to your life, you’ll lose it.
PRAYER
Help me to cling only to you, Lord.
REFLECTION
What are some things you can’t let go?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE Poem Devotional

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Sept 12                                                                       The Power of God’s Word
And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. –John 17:3 (NLT)
THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Our lives here earth are not everlasting
They are fleeting and there’s no point in clinging
Are you preoccupied with worldly matters?
Do you heed God’s call to help your sisters and brothers?
The way to eternal life is to know Christ
If you seek him you will have insight
Believe and follow the only one true God
You are guaranteed a place in heaven up above.
Many people believe different concepts about life and death and after life. Sadly, even some Christians find it hard to believe in eternal life. Knowing one thing does not necessarily mean that you believe it. Sometimes, our head gets in the way of faith. Our limited minds tell us that we need to be convinced first by seeing or experiencing before we get persuaded to trust that God gives everlasting life.
The bible tells us that the way to have eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ. Even Jesus’ disciples didn’t quite comprehend the concept of eternal life while Jesus was still among them despite the many miracles they witnessed. Jesus wants us to know him to have endless life.
PRAYER

WARNING ABOUT ANTICHRISTS Poem devotional

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July 4                                                                                      The Power of God’s Word

Many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.– 2 John:7,11 (NLT)     

WARNING ABOUT ANTICHRISTS

A poem and essay by ILMA

There are many false prophets and deceivers

Be careful especially those who are unbelievers

If they deny that Christ came into this world

Study God’s word for it is your sword.

Have nothing to do with the antichrists

This is the only way you can fight

Do not participate in their evil work

Never let them in your home or engage in talks.

Believers have been warned about the antichrists. One of the tactics of Satan is to let Christians think that there is only one antichrist. In the book of Daniel, vision and revelations about the different and various antichrists have been revealed to him.

The bible tells us that there will come a time that there will be many deceivers, but the true sign of an antichrist is when they deny the truth that Jesus Christ was born of a man and that he died on the cross.  Don’t engage or listen to their destructive evil plans.

PRAYER

Lord, keep me close to you and study your word constantly.

REFLECTION

How can a believer be protected from antichrists’ tactics?