CALL ON THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“This is what The Lord says, He who made the earth, The Lord who formed it and established it; The Lord is His name: ‘Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great unsearchable things you do not know.’ ”  Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the prison, The Lord God spoke to him again.  He told Jeremiah to call upon Him and He would answer him and show him many great and wonderful things that he didn’t know.  The Lord knew that Jeremiah had questions that he had not asked.

APPLICATION

The Lord God told the people of Judah to circumcise their hearts. (Jeremiah 4:4)  The people who circumcise their hearts are truly God’s people, even the non-Jews. (Romans 4:9-12)  All believers can call upon The Lord God and He will answer.  We can call on Him for more than help.  We can also call on Him when we do not understand.  The most frequently asked question is “Why?”  We may not get the answer that we want to hear, but we will understand His answer better “by and by”.  We should not trust our own understanding, (Proverbs 3:5) but we should pray and get as much understanding as we can. (Proverbs 4:7)

DO NOT CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HIM

Proclamation:

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul … Some Jews … tried to invoke the name of The Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed.  They would say, ‘In the name of The Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’  Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish priest, were doing this.  One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?’  Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all.  He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.”  Acts 19:11-16 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here Luke records that while Paul was in Ephesus, he met twelve disciples of John, the baptizer, and baptized them in the name of The Lord Jesus.  He laid his hands of them and they received The Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:1-7)  The Lord God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.  Even the handkerchiefs that he had touched cured the sick. (Acts 19:11-12)  Certain Jewish exorcists tried to copy Paul and invoke the name of The Lord Jesus to call out the evil spirits in demon-possessed individuals but the evil spirit turned on them and beat up all seven of them.  This became known all throughout Ephesus and the name of The Lord Jesus was held in high honor. (Acts 19:11-20)

Application:

If you do not know Jesus, The Christ, or The Lord God, it is not wise to call on His name.  Only if you are not a non-believer who is confessing your sinful nature and the need for Him as your personal savior, should you call upon Him.  Otherwise, you probably should not call upon his name.  He is not to be played with.  Texting “OMG” when there is no relationship with Him is also not a very wise thing to do.  Many people use His name in their casual conversation and in profanity.  We are not to use the name of The Lord God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)  These seven men learned that the hard way.  Hopefully, no one else will have to learn this lesson painfully.

IF WE PRAISE AND WORSHIP THE LORD HE WILL DELIVER US

Proclamation:

“… Fulfill your vows to The Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”  Psalm 50:14-15 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the seer and prophet Asaph, to be sung in the public worship service.  This psalm is thought to be a prophecy of the future judgment day.  It is written filled with quotations from The Lord God to the people and begins by stating “The Mighty One, God, The Lord, speaks …” and then states “Our God shall come …” (Psalm 50:3)  The heavens and the angels proclaim His righteousness, for He is a God of justice. (Psalm 50:6)  They are told to offer sacrificial thanksgiving to The Lord and to fulfill their vows and commitments to Him with praise and worship, and He will deliver them in the day of trouble. (Psalm 50:15 and 23)

Application:

As believers we are to praise and worship The Lord.  Our sacrificial giving demonstrates our true feelings toward Him and our priorities, that He is first in our lives and our hearts. (Psalm 50:14)  He is faithful to His word, He will keep His promises, and He will deliver us. (Psalm 50:15, Galatians 1:4, and 2 Timothy 4:18)  He will deliver us in the time of trouble. (Psalm 41:1)  If we believe in Him, we will be saved. (John 3:16)  If we have faith and trust in Him, He will be pleased. (Hebrews 11:6)  If we keep His commandments, He will grant us His favor. (Proverbs 3:1-4)