In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth

As we look around in today’s age, it is full of technological advances, knowledge in many areas have surpassed our father’s wildest dreams. The word of God, the Bible, is the same yesterday, today and forever and to those that believe, we see its truth even in these changing times.

I get excited when I read God’s word, many times there may be a particular verse that I have read time after time, and then one time it just stands right out that is the inspired meaning of that verse.

Sometimes I read some of the newer Bible translations; fact is that I have an eight-across-Bible. That is eight different translations of a paragraph on one page; this is where I have learned to not read the one that is always going in a different direction.

The King James Version is my preferred translation for preaching and closeness of accuracy, but I feel other translations help me sometimes to get a better understanding of a particular verse. Of course there are some translations out there that are peppered with faults so that a particular group can prove their agenda; I leave those alone.

Recently I was reading the third chapter of Acts where Peter and John saw the man that sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple.

“Then Peter said, silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”

What an awesome manifestation of God’s healing power in the name of Jesus.

Where Peter said “silver and gold have I none” has always intrigued me. And as I was reading the NLT translation in verse 16 Peter said, “the name of Jesus has healed this man...” and a little later on in this translation 4:10, “... He was healed in the name and power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth. “

Peter knew what he had in this first recorded miracle performed by the disciples, which is the authority to use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter employs the full name/title of our Lord “Jesus Christ of Nazareth” so we know he is talking about the Messiah. There is power in the name of Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth; the name of Jesus had healed the lame man.

I know there are some that say that power in the name of Jesus stopped working when the disciples left the earth but you cannot find that in the Bible. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is still powerful today; all we need to do as Christians is use the Lord Jesus’ name in faith. Yes, Peter was full of the Holy Spirit as we see in Acts 2:1-4 where in the upper room 120 were filled with the Holy Spirit. And approximately 20 years later Paul laid hands on believers and the Holy Spirit came upon them (19:6).

Jesus said in John 16:23,”... Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you asked the Father in my name He will give you.”

Jesus also spoke to the 70 followers in Luke 10:19, “... I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Jesus gave that authority to the church as we see it is confirmed in Mark 16:15-18, “go ye into the world.....”

Philip, in the sixth chapter of Acts, was one of the seven chosen to serve tables and such to relieve the apostles. Now Philip was just a laymen, he was not an apostle, but he did mighty works in the name of Jesus as we see in Acts 8:6, “.... spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did....... and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.”

That same power in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is available to us today; be bold, get hungry, be ambassadors for Christ do the work he has set before us, tell people about Jesus and his saving and healing grace.

Lavon Barve ministers through Cup of Life Ministries in Wasilla.