Category Archives: Devotion

CONFLICT CONTINUED

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“But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking.”       Genesis 21:9 NIV

 

Sarah saw the mockery time and again. Apparently, the ridicule reached a peak at the great feast celebrating Isaac’s weaning, and Sarah witnessed the ugly scene. It was all she could take, enough was enough, and she boiled over. She demanded that Abraham send away, cast out, drive out, get rid of the slave woman and her son, Ishmael. Ishmael had sinned through his mockery and jealousy and his failure to trust the will and care of the Lord. Now Sarah was sinning by over-reacting. There is a huge difference between a reaction and a response. A response arises from carefully thinking through the actions one is going to pursue and the implications of those actions. A reaction is the opposite and usually has negative results. Sarah was demanding a cruel solution to the conflict. She took matters into her own hands instead of seeking the Lord for an answer to the conflict. She was overtaken by a spirit of distrust toward the Lord and of cruelty toward Ishmael and his mother, Hagar. Remember, Hagar had been Sarah’s personal servant for decades. But Sarah was apparently so overtaken with anger that she just ignored the Lord and reacted against Ishmael and Hagar. The effect upon Abraham was devastating, for he loved Ishmael, loved him with all his heart. What we learn about conflict and strife – it is very dangerous. Only the right attitude is necessary to handle conflict.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, teach us to learn the difference between reaction and a response.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, teach us to learn the difference between a reaction and a response. May we think through the actions we desire to take and their implications upon the lives of others and our own. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

2 Kings 4:1-7

 

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CONFLICT

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“The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast.”       Genesis 21:8 NIV

 

Very simply, sin caused the conflict within Abraham’s family, and sin is usually the cause of conflict among most of us. It began with the birth of Ishmael, arising from Abraham and Sarah being impatient with the Lord. Abraham threw a great feast for Isaac when he was weaned from his mother’s breast. It was a great feast! This was apparently a Near East custom of that day when a child reached 2-3 years old. During the feast, Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac. Ridiculing, poking fun, being mean-spirited and bitter toward him. Remember, Isaac was just a baby, two or three years old, and Ishmael was sixteen or seventeen years old. Just imagine a young man that old mocking and ridiculing a baby. Ishmael always displayed bitterness and anger toward Isaac; he was always mocking and being mean-spirited to the baby. What would cause Ishmael to be so mean to Isaac? Because Abraham was always heaping attention upon Isaac, the attention that Ishmael had once received before Isaac’s birth. Abraham’s attention was now split two ways, and he was more focused upon the baby, Isaac, than upon Ishmael. Ishmael should have understood, he was old enough to know that the baby was bound to become the focus of attention. He was old enough to understand that the baby needed more attention, that the baby was bound to be a special joy to Abraham because he was born in Abraham’s old age, that the baby was the promised child, miraculously given by God. But Ishmael refused to accept the baby’s presence within the family, refused to accept Isaac as the promised child.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, may we never forget the seeds of sin bring a harvest.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, help us to learn that impatience with You, and taking matters into our own hands, leads to the seeds of sin being sown which brings a harvest of their own. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Leviticus 25:39-55

 

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JOY

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Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”       Genesis 21:6,7 NIV

 

The Lord stirs joy and rejoicing over His power. Sarah was just bubbling over with joy. She had given birth to the promised son. Remember her response when the Lord first told her that she was to bear the promised son: she had laughed—probably a snickering laugh—in unbelief. She was about ninety years old, well beyond childbearing years. The thought that she could bear a child was just beyond any possibility in her mind (Genesis 18:9-15). Here Sarah was, holding the child, having given birth at ninety years of age. Her joy and praise focused entirely upon the Lord and His power, upon the Lord and what He had done: It was the Lord who had made her laugh. It was the Lord who had caused everyone to rejoice with her, everyone who had heard of the promised son. At first, Sarah did not believe the Lord’s promise concerning the promised son. Nevertheless, the Lord fulfilled His promise, and the godly line was preserved, the line through whom the promised seed, the Saviour of the world, was to come. God gave Sarah a son named Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob became the father of the twelve sons who would give rise to the twelve tribes of Israel. Israel, some centuries later, would give the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, to the world. The Lord always keeps His promises.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, what joy arises within us as we see You keeping Your promises.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, what joy You bring into our lives, as we acknowledge the fact that You keep Your word and faithfully fulfil Your promises at the right time in our lives. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Deuteronomy 20:1-14

 

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ISAAC

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“Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him.”              Genesis 21:3,4 NIV

 

Abraham’s joy can just be imagined. Remember when the Lord first told Abraham that the time had finally come, the son was now to be born, Abraham fell on his face in worship (Genesis 17:17). He was so full of joy that he burst forth in laughter, a laughter of faith. The Lord was so pleased with this experience of worship and joy that He instructed Abraham to memorialize the event forever in the name of the child. The name Isaac means “he laughs,” “he joys.” The long wait for a son was over. Abraham’s joy must have broken loose in a praise and worship of the Lord beyond expression. It is not Abraham’s joy that is stressed in these verses. It’s Abraham’s obedience to the Lord. This is very significant, for the Lord would not have fulfilled His promise to Abraham if Abraham had not been an obedient follower of the Lord. Abraham obeyed the Lord all throughout his life, not perfectly, but consistently and diligently. Therefore, the Lord was able to fulfil His promises in the life of Abraham. Abraham circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old. This, too, was in obedience to the Lord. The Lord had instituted the ritual of circumcision with Abraham some years before (Genesis 17:10-14). Abraham recognized his dependence upon the Lord. The Lord and the Lord alone had given him a son. Obedience enables us to receive the promises of the Lord. This does not mean that we must be perfect but believe the Lord and diligently seek to follow Him.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, may we diligently seek to follow You, even in our failings.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, our obedience to You enables us to receive Your promises. This does not mean that we will be perfect in the journey, but we choose to believe You and diligently seek to follow You. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Colossians 3:12-4:1

 

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THE GREAT DAY

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“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.”        Genesis 21:1,2 NIV

 

At last, the great day came: the promised son was born. The hope and longing were finally realized. It had been twenty-five years since the Lord had given Abraham the promise of a son, twenty-five long years. The waiting was over. Sarah bore Abraham a son, the promised son, the son from whom kings and nations were to be born and from whom the Saviour of the world was to come. The Lord always fulfils His promises. He fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and He will fulfil His promises to us. How does the Lord fulfil His promises? He proves Himself, His Word and power. He uses His power to do exactly as He has promised. The Lord kept His Word. He had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, and He gave them a son. He did exactly what He had promised He would do. The birth was a miracle. Abraham and Sarah were both too old to bear children. The birth was controlled by the Lord from start to finish, controlled by His power. He kept His Word, His promises, but He sometimes delays His promises just as He did with Abraham. It is in the delays we grow in our faith. Learning more endurance and hardness. For whatever reasons the Lord may not immediately fulfil His promises in our lives. Two facts are always true: God is faithful to His promises. God will always do exactly what He promises He will do.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, thank You that You keep Your promises.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, in living with delays to Your promises in our lives, we hold onto two facts that are always true: You are faithful to Your promises. You will always do exactly what You promised to do. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

1 Peter 2:13-25

 

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ABRAHAM’S PRAYER

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“Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again.”         Genesis 20:17 NIV

 

Abraham’s act of praying for Abimelech serves as a profound reminder that our faith can have a ripple effect on others. It challenges us to think about how we can intercede for those around us—friends, family, even strangers—who need healing or restoration. Abraham’s actions encourage us to acknowledge our own imperfections and the ways in which our actions might affect others. Just as Abraham’s deception led to a crisis, our choices can have far-reaching consequences. Recognizing this, we are called to foster integrity and seek God’s guidance in our decisions, understanding that He is always ready to restore and heal. The Lord’s response to Abraham’s prayer reassures us that no situation is beyond His reach. It invites us to trust in His sovereignty, knowing that He can bring healing and restoration, even in the most challenging circumstances. Despite the failures of Abraham and Sarah, they still became instruments of the Lord’s grace and mercy. May we grasp the fact that despite our own failures we can become vessels of the Lord’s grace, committed to praying for others, fostering healing, and embodying the compassion that is central to our faith journey. Let us never forget, even when we cave in to the pressure of this world and its attractions, our Lord will twist, turn, and manoeuvre to work all things out for our good and His glory.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, despite our failures You will work all things for Your glory.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, we stand amazed that even in our failures, we see Your grace at work, as You work all things out for our good and Your glory. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Hebrews 5:1-10

 

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THE LORD REVEALED

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Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.”       Genesis 20:6 NIV

 

The Lord revealed Himself to Abimelech as the true God (Ha ‘elohim). The Hebrew means the true God. Abimelech was not only talking with the Lord of All (Adonai) in his dream, but he was talking with the true God (Ha ‘elohim). The Lord revealed three things to Abimelech. He, the true Lord has knowledge of all, He knew that the king was innocent. He has power over all persons and their affairs; He had kept Abimelech from touching Sarah. The Lord had afflicted the king and his household with some kind of disease that kept them from having sex and bearing children. The true Lord expected and demanded that the king not commit adultery, and return Sarah to Abraham (verse 7). He told Abimelech that Abraham was a prophet and that Abraham would pray for the kings healing. But if he refused to return Sarah, he would die, he and his whole family. The point is this, the Lord cared for Abraham and Sarah and He could not allow His promise to be stopped. The promised son had to be born through Sarah. He had to intervene on behalf of Abraham and Sarah despite them not being honest. The Lord miraculously stepped in to save Sarah from being touched by the king. The Lord will do whatever is necessary to demonstrate His care for us, even intervene miraculously.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, thank You that You will do whatever it takes to care for us.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, thank You for showing us that You will do whatever it takes to demonstrate how much You care for us, and even intervene miraculously in our daily lives. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 21:23-27

 

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ABIMELECH

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But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”           Genesis 20:3 NIV

 

The Lord warned king Abimelech of judgment. He was in danger of dying because he was about to commit adultery with Sarah. This is serious in the eyes of the Lord. The world of Abraham’s day was an immoral world. People did their own thing, did what they wanted when they wanted. One wife for one man was a rarity, if it existed at all. But again, we see the Lord’s attitude in dealing with Abimelech, His laws still stood. Abimelech was as good as dead if he touched Sarah. He appealed to the Lord. He claimed that he and his people were innocent and blameless, for he had not gone near Sarah. Moreover, he had no idea that she was Abraham’s wife, for they had both claimed to be brother and sister (verses 4-5). It is interesting to note that Abimelech called God “the Lord” (Adonai). The Hebrew word means Lord of All. Abimelech apparently was God-fearing and recognized that the God of his dream was the Lord of all. This is seen in the fact that Abimelech acknowledged that the Lord had the power over all persons and nations. As well as the question he asked: Was the Lord going to destroy an innocent nation, him and his people (verse 4)? Abimelech also acknowledged that the Lord was just and righteous, He did not punish people unjustly. Abimelech acknowledged that the Lord must know that he had acted in the integrity of his heart, that his conscience was clear and his hands clean in the whole affair.

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, as One who knows all things, You are still just and righteous.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You Lord, in a world that does what is right in its own eyes, You are still Lord of all and You are just and righteous in Your dealing with humanity. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Luke 22:24-30

 

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SIN CANNOT BE HIDDEN

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Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’”        Genesis 20:11 NIV

 

Do you remember the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. Sin is just like that. It attempts to camouflage itself, but it never realizes that its camouflage is flimsy and transparent. In fact, everyone can see through it, except the sinner. When Abraham is confronted by his sin, he does not repent, but instead he offers up excuses. They aren’t much, but they are the same one’s people still use today. Abraham claimed that he had acted out of fear. It wasn’t fear that caused this terrible event, it was a lack of faith! He twisted the facts (verse 12). Sarah was his sister, but she was more than that, she was his wife! He hid behind his past failures (verse 13). He tells the king that this is the way we have always done it. Abraham’s response to being confronted is to attempt to hide behind some very flimsy excuses. Like the Emperor, Abraham did not even realize that he was fully exposed. When we sin and are found out, we always try to make excuses for our behaviour. There are a thousand ways we can handle sin, but only one way will bring cleansing, restoration and the blessing of the Lord. Sin must be confessed! It must be dragged kicking and screaming into the open and it must be exposed for what it is: black, dirty and wicked! This is the Lord’s way, read 1 John 1:9. What excuses are we hiding our behaviour behind? We will never get past our sin until we can see it for ourselves and deal with it the Lord’s way!

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, thank You that we can never hide our sin from You.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, thank You for reminding us that no sin is hidden from Your sight, and all You desire is that we confess our sin, receive Your forgiveness and be set free. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Judges 2:6-19

 

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SIN CANNOT DERAIL GOD’S PLAN

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“And Abimelech asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?””       Genesis 20:10 NIV

 

When Abraham left the promised land to enter Gerar, he placed the plan of the Lord in jeopardy. The Lord had promised to send the promised seed within a year, Genesis 18:10-14. Abraham showed very poor judgment! If Abimelech had been allowed to sleep with Sarah, it could have short-circuited the Lord’s plan. But the Scriptures tell us that the Lord prevented anything like that from taking place! Another problem is the fact that Abraham is the sole representative of the Lord Almighty, verse 7. He has been commissioned to be a blessing to all the families of the earth. Instead of being a blessing and a witness for the Lord, Abraham’s life could have been a hindrance to prevent Abimelech from coming to the Lord. Despite Abraham’s sin, the Lord spoke to Abimelech and dealt with him anyway, verses 6-7. Regardless of what we do, the Lord’s plan will be accomplished! You and I cannot hinder the Lord from doing His work! We might miss out on the blessing of being a part of what He is doing, but God will accomplish His will in the church and in the world whether we cooperate or not! There is no indication that Abraham ever acknowledged his sin or repented of it! But think about this: Abraham’s sin was used as testimony to the greatness of the Lord Almighty. Abimelech would have never known that the Lord was the Lord of mercy, grace, forgiveness and restoration if that old saint had never fallen into sin! But, because he did, the Lord was able to demonstrate His power through forgiving and restoring Abraham by grace. Let us never forget that sin has consequences!

 

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, because of Your grace our sin cannot derail Your plans.

 

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, we rejoice that because of Your amazing grace our sin cannot derail Your plans, but let us live with the consciousness that our sin does have consequences. AMEN

 

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

 

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