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Power In The Name Of Jesus
Luke 10:17 - 'And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.'
It was the power in the name of Jesus plus the disciples' faith in that power that made the demons subject unto them. This can clearly be seen in Acts 19:13-17 where certain Jews called on the name of Jesus in an effort to cast demons out of a man. They used the name of Jesus, but it didn't work because they had not put faith in that name.
These Jews were itinerants who used incantations to effect deliverance for people who were demon possessed. The first-century historian, Josephus, wrote of an exorcism that he witnessed in the presence of Vespasian and many of his soldiers. The exorcist supposedly followed...
What's Your Motivation
Matthew 6:1, 'Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.'
MATTHEW 6:1-4
The motive behind our gift is more important than the gift itself. Paul said if he gave all of his goods to feed the poor, or if he made the ultimate sacrifice of giving his own life for someone else, and wasn't motivated by love, his gift would profit him nothing (1 Cor. 13:3).
Many Christians give faithfully but never see the hundredfold return that the Lord promised because of wrong motives (Mk. 10:29-30). Paul said God loves a cheerful giver - not one who gives grudgingly or out of debt (2 Cor. 9:7).
Jesus gave us the key to purifying our...
THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS
The Best Defense
Matthew 5:39, 'But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.'
MATTHEW 5:38-48
Which would you rather have - God defending you, or you defending yourself? That's the choice that Jesus is offering us here. 'Turning the other cheek' is not a prescription for abuse but rather the way to get the Lord involved in your defense.
Many people feel that these instructions of Jesus guarantee that others will take advantage of us. That would be true if there was no God. But when we follow these commands of Jesus, the Lord is on our side. He said in Rom. 12:19, 'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is...
The Cost Of Living For Christ
Luke 9:58 'And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.'
MATTHEW 8:18-22; LUKE 9:51-62
This verse has often been used to support the misconception that Jesus and His disciples lived in poverty. However, in this instance, the fact that Jesus had nowhere to lay His head was because of persecution. The Samaritans, because of a religious prejudice, had just refused Him hospitality and a place to stay as He journeyed to Jerusalem. Persecution is part of the cost of living a Christian life. Jesus was communicating to this man that not having a place to stay at times was part of that cost.
There are many forms of persecution....
LOOKING AT BOTH TRUTHS AND LIES
Grow In Grace
Luke 9:55 'But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.'
LUKE 9:54-56
Jesus was constantly being accused of breaking the law of Moses. He taught differently than the law of Moses (Mt. 5:21-48), and now He rebukes His disciples for desiring to do what an Old Testament prophet did with God's blessing and power. However, Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it.
Jesus came not to destroy men's lives but to save them (Jn. 3:16; 10:10).
'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them' (2 Cor. 5:19). Jesus was just in doing this because He bore our sins (Isa. 53:4-6) and the accompanying wrath of God (Mt. 27:46;...