It has to be Personal

If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. Matthew 9:21.
It was a poor woman who spoke these words—a woman who for twelve years had suffered from a disease that made her life a burden. She had spent all her means upon physicians and remedies, only to be pronounced incurable. But as she heard of the Great Healer, her hopes revived…. Again and again she had tried in vain to get near Him.
She had begun to despair, when, in making His way through the multitude, He came near where she was…. But amid the confusion she could not speak to Him, nor catch more than a passing glimpse of His figure…. As He was passing, she reached forward, and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment. But in that moment she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health.
With a grateful heart she then tried to withdraw from the crowd; but suddenly Jesus stopped…. The Saviour could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual contact of the careless throng. Such trust should not be passed without comment…. Finding concealment vain, she came forward tremblingly, and cast herself at His feet. With grateful tears she told the story of her suffering, and how she had found relief. Jesus gently said, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” He gave no opportunity for superstition to claim healing virtue for the mere act of touching His garments. It was not through the outward contact with Him, but through the faith which took hold on His divine power, that the cure was wrought….
So in spiritual things. To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul…. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves.
Conflict and Courage p. 298
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Pauline who got very dizzy and fell yesterday. She broke her nose and is very bruised, but feels ok. She is in the hospital for tests, however. Please pray that if there is something wrong that they will be able to find and treat it easily. Rose
—–My mother has a triple bypass starting tomorrow morning…. join me in more prayers for her, Dad and Sis there too please. Success and perfection comes through Christ. Wendy
—–I have a request for my dear niece. She wants children so bad and it looks like she may not be able to have, she has problems with her ovaries. Please pray for her and her husband. They will be devastated if this is not possible. Pray that the Lord will bless them as he did Sarah. Heather
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Dear Friends,
When I was eight, my mother took me to Nashville, Tennessee during the Christmas holidays. We rode there with a friend of hers named Don, who was a nightclub singer. He was on his way to Florida to sing in a nightclub there.
During the years that followed, my mother often talked about Don. He had been raised in the church, but had never given his life to Jesus. As he got older and found that he had a real talent for singing, he began to desire a career in the entertainment industry. He gave himself totally to that.
He never reached the fame that he was sure he deserved, but spent his life in small clubs singing for people whose minds were clouded by alcohol. He was not really happy. Success always eluded him. He had no family, no true friends, nothing but what he could carry in his car. Recently, I found out that he had returned to Kalamazoo a broken, old man. He family shunned him because of his life’s choices and he lived in a dingy apartment in a poor section of the city. Truly his was a wasted life.
Jesus told a story about our use of the talents He has given to each of us. “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his several ability, and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt 25:14-30
May we give our lives to the One Who has given Himself for us. May we use our talents for Him. May we “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
Rose