Today I have been reading and meditating on two stories in the book of Acts chapter nine. Peter is one of the main characters in both stories. He had a word of knowledge which he passed on instantly with no hesitation or doubt. He acted on what God showed him immediately. When Aeneas received the word of the Lord, spoken by a human being, without arguing but by obeying by doing the impossible, the power of God was released and he was healed instantly. The word of God carries within it the power and strength we need to act according to it, even when God asks us to do what we can't do, humanly speaking.

About the same time as this miracle happened a sister in the covenant community in a neighbouring town died. The other believers in that town sent for Peter to come at once. He came as soon as possible. At the arrival no time was wasted. He was taken to the room were the dead body was as soon as he arrived. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other garments Tabitha had made for them. Peter had no time to dwell at the past and he did not flee to the future. He had no time to comfort the widows with talk about the future resurrection at the Lord's second coming. But he asked all of them to leave the room immediately. Then he knelt down to pray. When he heard from God, he instantly spoke to the dead body: Get up, Tabitha! She opened her eyes and came back to life as an instant response to the word of the Lord spoken by a human being.

When we dwell on the past or the future, there is no faith to release the power of God in the present. Jesus Christ is the I AM WHO SAVES today! He is the LIVING ONE. Jesus is yesterday, today and tomorrow – the same living Healer, Deliverer and Saviour. He is ever present in his word. Instant obedience releases his power, even today.