Awesome Bible verse!

[Rach1370]

In Bible study today we looked at this passage...

[13] Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” [14] Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. [15] But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” [16] And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
(Acts 19:13-17 ESV)

I thought it's simply brilliant!! How wonderful that all of creation must acknowledge the authority of God! It may not be now...but one day everyone will see that Jesus is indeed King!

I wondered if maybe others could post verses or passages that they really like? It might be a good way to encourage one another!

 

[aspen]

That is an awesome verse!

'You know the same thing happened between a Catholic priest and a Protestant minister in the 1700s - they had an "exorcist-off" to see who had God's authority. The girl was delivered by the priest and that is why Protestants dropped exorcism for years afterwards - true story.

Obviously the people reached a false conclusion - both the priest and the minister were wrong for trying to take credit for God's miracle! The fact is, neither man had anything to do with the result! All the glory belongs to God alone.

In any case it is a really interesting turn in history.

 

[Rach1370]

It's interesting how God picks and chooses who He'll work through. It's not always who you'd think it should be! I think it's a wonderful testiment to how sovereign our God is that He will work through anyone, any walk, any social status...all for His glory!
And as far as your Catholic vs Protestant story goes...it's not even about that! As you say, it's about God and His glory...just because someone is Catholic or Protestant doesn't automatically mean they're saved...God would have chosen to work through the one who had the most honest love for his God. Like Cain and Abel...they both came forward and made offerings to God, but only Abel's heart was sincere. It's a good lesson that God always knows where our hearts are!

 

[aspen]

It's interesting how God picks and chooses who He'll work through. It's not always who you'd think it should be! I think it's a wonderful testiment to how sovereign our God is that He will work through anyone, any walk, any social status...all for His glory!
And as far as your Catholic vs Protestant story goes...it's not even about that! As you say, it's about God and His glory...just because someone is Catholic or Protestant doesn't automatically mean they're saved...God would have chosen to work through the one who had the most honest love for his God. Like Cain and Abel...they both came forward and made offerings to God, but only Abel's heart was sincere. It's a good lesson that God always knows where our hearts are!

The story gives me faith in God alone.....I think He testified in the midst of human false-pride-garbage. We have such a Good God!

 

[Alethos]

In Bible study today we looked at this passage...

[13] Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” [14] Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. [15] But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” [16] And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [17] And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
(Acts 19:13-17 ESV)

I thought it's simply brilliant!! How wonderful that all of creation must acknowledge the authority of God! It may not be now...but one day everyone will see that Jesus is indeed King!

I wondered if maybe others could post verses or passages that they really like? It might be a good way to encourage one another!

May I ask what version of the Scriptures you are using?

 

[Rach1370]

May I ask what version of the Scriptures you are using?

ESV...I post it after the verse, so people will know. I do like the ESV, but I also like others, NIV, NRSV, and others....I usually post with the ESV because it has a good copy/paste interface!!

 

[HammerStone]

Just one of those egghead moments, but all verses on this site default to the ESV version with the little popover (requires Javascript be enabled). B)

This particular verse stuck out to me lately:

John 16:33 NLT
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

I'm reading through the Psalms again, and when I read this I really felt the power of God:

Psalm 18:6-12 NLT
But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears. Then the earth quaked and trembled; the foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. Mounted on a mighty angel, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds. The brilliance of his presence broke through the clouds, raining down hail and burning coals.

Elsewhere it says that flame goes out before God's presence, and with images like this I can always see this gyrating flame around this unimaginable God. To me, I think about the elements totally under his control, but it's almost like the description is that the created elements struggle to "hold" God or portray Him. They are kept in order only by His power. Yet we have His Son who wants the type of personal relationship with each and every one of us.

 

[Alethos]

Hammerstone

Psalm 18 a most beautiful psalm

The earth trembled and quaked....becuase He was angry "Trembled"/"quaked" The Earthquake has always been an expression of the wrath of God: Job 9:5,6; Isa 2:19,21; Eze 38:18-20; Hag 2:6,21; Heb 12:26; Act 16:25,26. This pslam has its fullfillment in the crucifixtion where no greater wrath can be found in all scripture concerning the putting to death of God's Son: Mat 27:51.

Very topical when we consider recent events i.e Christchurch, Japan & ?????

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matt 24:7-8

Or better said the beginning of birth pains. Has the earth begun its labour? One thing is for sure once a woman enters labour/contraction pains you cannot stop them! Speaking from some experience (I am blessed with four little ones )

We await the new birth of a new heavens (government) and a new earth (Eden restored).

Come Lord Jesus

 

[Rach1370]

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matt 24:7-8

Or better said the beginning of birth pains. Has the earth begun its labour? One thing is for sure once a woman enters labour/contraction pains you cannot stop them! Speaking from some experience (I am blessed with four little ones )

We await the new birth of a new heavens (government) and a new earth (Eden restored).

Come Lord Jesus

Amen, come!

It really does seem that things are coming closer together and harder. I know people have been saying "the end is near!" since Jesus ascended, but consider...it has to happen some time!! One generation of people believing it will actually see it.

It can be scary to watch the devistation and heartache going on in the world...and perhaps we feel a little bad for rejoycing that it could mean our Lord will be back soon. But truly, there's hardly a person out there (let alone a Christian) that doesn't ache for people ungoing tradgety...and so we know this: God is sovereign and good, and Jesus tells us to watch for His coming with hope and joy! Theres a verse I very much like, because whenever I see horror in our world, instead of letting it pull me down into fear and weariness, I see it as hope that this won't alway be...

"Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28 ESV)