“But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6 ESV)

Peter used Jesus’ Name to bring about healing!

Jesus didn't ask God to heal the sick. He simply healed them. Sometimes Jesus rebuked the sickness (Luke 4:39); sometimes He commanded sickness to go (Mark 9:25). Sometimes He laid hands on the sick (Mark 16:15), and sometimes He told people they were healed by their own faith as in Matthew 9:22 (Matthew 9:22).

Jesus said we are to be like Him in this world

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17 ESV)

“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” (James 5:15 NIV)

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14 ESV)

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus!

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)

Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh

“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30 NASB)

“He who has seen Me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9b NASB)

We have to judge his statements about himself as either true or false

The great British writer, C. S. Lewis, explained in his well-known book, Mere Christianity, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher; he'd either be a lunatic -- on a level with a man who says he's a poached egg -- or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse."

"You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

“So Jesus was either a madman, a liar, a myth, or He really was -- and is -- the Son of God.”

The apostle Paul said that salvation is available only through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made when he carried the sins of the world on the cross.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Cor. 5:21, NLT)

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10-11 KJV)

There is no other name higher or more powerful than the Name of Jesus!

Over the next few days we will be looking at Jesus’ Name and what it means! Today's Scripture passage tells us several things about His Name

At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow:

• Of things in heaven
• And things in earth
• And things under the earth

That every tongue should confess:

• That Jesus Christ is Lord
• To the Glory of God the Father

“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring” (Isaiah 58:10-11 NLT)

Here is a formula for success

Do these things two things for others

1) Feed the hungry

2) Help those in trouble

 And God will do the following 

• Your light will shine out from darkness
• The darkness around you will be bright as noon
• The Lord will guide you continually
• The Lord will give you water when you are dry
• The Lord will restore your strength
• You will be like a well watered garden
• You will be like an ever-flowing spring

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 KJV)

I have often heard people say in conversation, “don't get your hopes up.” But, concerning the promises of God, you MUST!

The substance of things hoped for!

Notice that today’s promise verse says, “faith is the substance of things HOPED for.” That's because Hope is an important ingredient to faith. In fact, it's impossible to have faith without it! The Bible has thousands of promises for you but they are all faith activated with hope!

Abraham was a great example of using Hope 

“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your descendants be.” (Rom. 4:18 NKJV)

Here's what you must do

You find a promise in God’s Word, then you apply hope to it (just like Abraham did) and then you stand firmly on it, not wavering in unbelief. You don't go by what you see, you don't waver while you wait, but instead you go by what the promise in God’s Word says. (James 1:6).

What to do while you wait

Stand solidly on several promises found in Romans 5:13.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit:

• You can be filled with joy.
• You can have peace in believing.
• You can abound in hope.

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NKJV)

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”(2 Cor. 9:8 NIV)

This is one of my all time favorite promises!

It declares that God is ABLE to bless (and He does) and it says that He blesses ABUNDANTLY, and promises that not only will you have ALL THAT YOU NEED, you will ABOUND in EVERY good work! And it's at ALL TIMES!

Wow! That is a great reason to praise Him!

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Eph. 3:20 NLT)

“For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 117:2 NASB)

His lovingkindness is precious!

 “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psalm 36:7 NASB)

He poured it out upon you richly!

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Tit. 3:4-6 NASB)

It's intended to lead you to repentance

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4 NIV)

Therefore, we give Him praise! 

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.” (Psalm 63:3 NASB)

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 49:29 NIV)

A Paradox

A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself yet is true. One paradox found in the Bible is about “weakness” and “strength”, we as Christians can be at our strongest during times of apparent weakness. This fact seems erroneous and contradictory to unbelievers, yet, when we turn things over to God in prayer, our lives are strengthened and refreshed.

Therefore....

“Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10 NKJV)

God has chosen the weak things!

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (2 Cor. 1:27 KJV)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV)

After Jesus was risen from the dead, He appeared to two of his disciples walking along the road to Damascus, and spoke with them about the Scriptures. After He left them, “They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32 NLT)

God’s Word has the wonderful ability to change your heart!

• God is able to create a pure heart within you

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NIV)

• God is the strength of your heart

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26 NIV)

• His peace will guard your heart and mind

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7 NIV)

• You have a part in the process of a changed heart, too

Even though God makes changes in your heart as you read and apply His Word, you’re expected to make changes, too, as led by His Holy Spirit to do so.

• You must give Him your heart

“My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways.” (Prov. 23:26 NIV)

• You must guard your heart

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Prov. 4:23 NIV)