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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

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St. Ephrem


1 Kings 18:20-39
Psalm 16:1-2, 4-5, 8, 11
Matthew 5:17-19

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" 'Answer me, Lord! Answer me, that this people may know that You, Lord, are God and that You have brought them back to their senses.' The Lord's fire came down." —1 Kings 18:37-38

Elijah showed that Yahweh is the only true God and that Baal and Asherah were false gods served by false prophets. He did this by challenging the false prophets: "You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the Lord. The God Who answers with fire is God" (1 Kgs 18:24).

In the same way, we Christians should be able to show that Jesus is the "only Master and Lord" (Jude 4) and the only "name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12). When we put our Christian marriages, relationships, jobs, and neighborhoods right next to those of non-Christians, it should be obvious to all that our lives have been touched by the fire of God.

Unfortunately, many Christians have fallen into sin and refuse to repent. Thus their condition is worse than that of unbelievers (2 Pt 2:20-21). These people bear the name of Christian but deny Christ by their lives. Thus they confuse the world about Christ's claims to be the only Savior, Lord, and Way to the Father (Jn 14:6).

If we repent, the Christian life will stand out as the only one that has God's fire. Then "at Jesus' name every knee must bend...and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!" (Phil 2:10-11)

Prayer:  Father, may I not conceal but reveal Jesus' divinity.

Promise:  "Whoever breaks the least significant of these commands and teaches others to do so shall be called least in the kingdom of God." —Mt 5:19

Praise:  St. Ephrem proclaimed the lordship of Jesus by transforming secular songs of his day into hymns of praise and truth.

Reference:  (The Prophecy and Deliverance retreat July 16-17 will help your spiritual sight and lead you away from the world and closer to God.)

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 29, 2009

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