PRAYER REQUEST ANSWERED

PROCLAMATION

“Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked him of The Lord.’ ”  1 Samuel 1:20 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The first part of The Bible of Samuel was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Prophet Samuel, while the second part was written by Nathan and Gad.  Chapter one begins with a discussion of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, who at this time was barren.  Her husband Elkanah had two wives; the other was Peninnah who had children. (1 Samuel 1:1-2)  Year after year Peninnah would provoke Hannah to tears because The Lord had closed her womb. (1 Samuel 1:3-8)  Once Eli the priest saw her crying and praying, moving her lips without making a sound, and he thought that she was drunk.  Hannah had made a vow unto The Lord that if He would give her a son, then she would give her son back to Him. (1 Samuel 1:11)  When Eli told her to put away her wine, she told him that she was not drunk and explained her situation to him. (1 Samuel 1:12-15)  Eli told her, “Go in peace, and may The God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him.’ (1 Samuel 1:17)  Later Hannah conceived and bore a son, Samuel.  She kept him at home until he was weaned.  After he was weaned she took him to the temple and presented him to Eli to raise him in the service of The Lord. (1 Samuel 1:20-28)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God does hear and answer our prayers. (Proverbs 15:29)  Some of the time He gives us exactly what we asked for, and other times not.  We need to make sure that what we ask for when we pray will give God glory.  The sincere prayers of a righteous person are effective and avails much. (James 5:16)

GOD HEARS THE CRIES OF HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And The Angel of The Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush … And He said, ‘… the place whereon thou standest is holy ground … And The Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them …’ ”  Exodus 3:2-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Moses fled to Midian he married Zipporah the daughter of Jethro and granddaughter of Reuel, and began a family. (Exodus 2:15-22)  He became a shepherd tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law. (Exodus 3:1)  It was there that Moses saw the burning bush which was not consumed by the fire, and he heard the voice of The Lord God. (Exodus 3:1-10)  God told him that He had heard the cries of the Israelites (Exodus 2:23-24 and 3:7-8) and He was sending Moses to bring His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10) and into the land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus 3:8)  God told Moses that He would be with him and that he was to bring the people to worship Him on that mountain. (Exodus 3:12)  Moses was to tell the people “I AM has sent me.” (Exodus 3:14)  God also told Moses that the king of Egypt would not let the people go until He smites the Egyptians. (Exodus 3:19-20)  And when they leave Egypt, they will not leave empty-handed. (Exodus 3:21-22)

 

APPLICATION

Believers still suffer and go through trials and tribulations during this earthly journey.  It is comforting to know that The Lord God hears our prayers and our cries.  When the time is right, according to His will, He will do something about our plight.  Things are allowed to happen to us for a reason.  Sometimes bad things happen to us to keep us humble, (2 Corinthians 12:7) sometimes they are to keep us focused on Him, (Matthew 14:25-31) and sometimes they are punishment for our sins, (Numbers 14:26-31) or for the sins of our parents and grandparents. (Exodus 34:7)  However, our troubles won’t last always. (Psalm 30:5)  God hears the prayers of the righteous and He sees our situation. (1 Peter 3:12)  We just need to keep the faith and obey His Holy Word, (Deuteronomy 7:9) and know that when we call on Him, He hears us.

  

REBEKAH BECOMES THE WIFE OF ISAAC

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out … with her pitcher upon her shoulder; … and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.  And the servant ran to meet her, and said, ‘Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.’  And she said, ‘Drink, my lord,’ and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.  She said, ‘I will draw water for thy camels also …”  Genesis 24:15-19 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The first part of The Bible Book of Genesis (Chapters 1-11) dealt with four great events, creation, the great flood, the replenishing of the earth, and the confounding of human language.  The second part of The Bible Book of Genesis (Chapters 12-50) deals with four great individuals.  Abraham was the first of those individuals and Isaac is the second.  Chapter twenty-four begins by revealing that Abraham is very old and he sends his senior servant to Mesopotamia, to find a wife for Isaac from among his people. (Genesis 24:1-9)  When the servant got there, he stopped at a well just outside of town and prayed to God to show him the right woman. (Genesis 24:10-14)  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came to the well to fill her jar.  He asked her for a drink of water.  She gave him a drink and offered to give water to his camels. (Genesis 24:15-19)  When she had finished, he gave her a gold ring and two gold bracelets and asked her whose daughter she was.  She answered him and then she said that they had food for his camels and room for him to lodge. (Genesis 24:24-25)  He went with her, and he told her family of his purpose and then asked for her hand for his master’s son. (Genesis 24:32-49)  They agreed that he could take her, and he gave them jewels of silver and of gold and fine clothes. (Genesis 24:50-53)  Rebekah agreed to go with the servant and after some discussion, they left.  The servant took her to Isaac, and she became his wife and comforted him after the death of his mother. (Genesis 24:54-67)

 

APPLICATION

Abraham’s senior servant prayed that The Lord God would let him find a wife for Isaac, and before he had finished praying, the answer to his prayer was on the way to him. (Genesis 24:15)  The Lord God hears and answers prayers of the righteous.  If we would just believe, have faith, and be obedient, God knows what we need, and He can supply all our needs. (Philippians 4:19)