| Gen. 18:9-14
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"Then they said to him, 'Where is Sarah your wife?' And he said, 'Here, in the tent.' And He said, 'I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.' And Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herslef, saying, 'After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?' And the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." |
| Gen. 21:1-3 |
"And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him - whom Sarah bore to him - Isaac." |
| Jud. 13:2-5 |
"Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, 'Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. Now therefore, please be careful not to drink wine or similar drink, and not to eat any unclean thing. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." |
| Jud. 13:24-25 |
"So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him..." |
| 1 Sam. 1:1-2 |
"Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah...an Ephraimite. And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children." |
| 1 Sam. 1:11 |
"Then she made a vow and said, 'Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me, and not forget your maidservant, but will give your maidservand a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head...Then Eli answered and said, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.' " |
| 1 Sam. 1:20-22 |
"So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying 'Because I have asked for him from the Lord.' And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, 'I will not go up until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever.' "
 Note: I have permission to relay a story to assure people that God still answers prayer in these times: A friend of mine had her tubes cut, tied, and cauterized after her third child was born. Not only did she feel old before her time, but she felt that what she did was a sin due to her faith. She went to confession and was told to do something for the pro-life movement. When she went to bed that night she said to Jesus, with a repentant heart, that she was sorry for that and for the sins of her past life, and asked, "Would He please take that awful guilt from me and heal the dynamics of my life and family." In two months she became miraculously pregnant with her fourth child, and her doctor said, "This is something God wants." She agreed. Her daughter was born perfectly healthy. She later had a back x-ray and could still see the metal clips on each side where the tubes were tied.
What she derived from it is:
"God knows our thoughts, deepest motives and desires. We can communicate with Him with our brain (mind)
[Psa. 139:2] this is one form of prayer.
He answers our prayers and it helps to have a truly contrite heart.
He doesn't always answer our prayers the way we would imagine.
He has a better plan than we do.
Confession by word of mouth is a very powerful thing whether to a priest or a trusted friend.
Faith heals.
Forgiveness is healing."
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| 2 Kin. 4:12-23 |
"Then he said to Gehazi his servant, 'Call this Shunammite.' When he had called her, she stood before him. And he said to him. 'Say now to her, "Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?" ' And she answered, 'I dwell among my own people.' So he said, 'What then is to be done for her?' And Gehazi answered, 'Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.' And he said, 'Call her.' When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Then he said, 'About this time next year you shall embrace a son.' And she said, 'No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!' And the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her. So the child grew. Not it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. And he said to his father, 'My head, my head!' So he said to a servant, 'Carry him to his mother.' When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. Then she called to her husband, and said 'Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.' So he said, 'Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.' And she said, 'It is well.' " |
| 2 Kin. 4:27-28 |
Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, 'Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.' And she said, 'Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say, "Do not deceive me"? ' " |
| 2 Kin. 4:32-37 |
And when Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lyng dead on his bed. He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and strethced himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, 'Call this Shunammite woman.' So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, 'Pick up your son.' So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out." |
| Luke 1:5-7 |
"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years." |
| Luke 1:13, 17 |
"But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.' ...He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' (Mal. 4:5, 6) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." |
| Luke 1:28-31 |
"And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!' But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.' " |
| Luke 1:34-38 |
"Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?' And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.' Then Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her."
See (Nothing Is Too Hard For God) |
| Luke 1:57, 62-63 |
"Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son...So they made signs to his father - what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and worte, saying, 'His name is John.' And they all marveled." |
| Luke 2:6-7 |
"So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firsborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a *manger, (feed trough) because there was no room for them in the inn." |
