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Thursday, September 18, 2008

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1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Psalm 118
Luke 7:36-50

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no time like the present

"You are being saved by it at this very moment if you hold fast to it as I preached it to you." —1 Corinthians 15:2

We pray God will do something for us, or thank Him for what He has done. We live in the past and in the future. However, the Lord wants us to be aware of Him at this very moment. "Now is the day of salvation!" (2 Cor 6:2) Now is the time to abandon our lives "to Him Whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine" (Eph 3:20).

When we pray for healing, do we expect an immediate response from God? Almost all Jesus' healings in the Bible happened immediately. Has God changed His timing? Or are we not believing and so not receiving? The Lord promises: "Before they call, I will answer; while they are yet speaking, I will hearken to them" (Is 65:24). We think God is slow and we talk about waiting on the Lord, but He's waiting on us. Jesus said to the two disciples: "How slow you are to believe!" (Lk 24:25) "Will [God] delay long over them, do you suppose? I tell you, He will give them swift justice. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on the earth?" (Lk 18:7-8)

The place is here, the person is you, and the time is now. Jesus said: "Your faith has been your salvation. Now go in peace" (Lk 7:50).

Prayer:  Jesus, may I be living in and loving You now.

Promise:  "You gave Me no kiss, but she has not ceased kissing My feet since I entered." —Lk 7:45

Praise:  In support of a family member who was a recovering alcoholic, the Burtons never served alcohol at any family parties.

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our tape on Developing A Deep Personal Relationship with Jesus on audio AV 52-1 or video V-52.)

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 25, 2008

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