Joe: Today we'll be discussing Chapter 4 from the "Basic Elements of the Christian Life," Volume 1.
The title of this chapter is "Calling on the Name of the Lord."
And I'm joined today by Michael Stewart.
Michael, what does it mean to call on the name of the Lord?
Michael: Well Joe, many Christians may think that calling on the name of the Lord is the same as praying to Him,
but from our reading the Bible and our experience we can see
that calling on the name of the Lord is more than merely praying to Him.
Actually, the Hebrew Word means to "call out to, to cry out to, to cry to."
And we can see a very good example of this in Lamentations chapter 3 verses 55 and 56.
Joe: Maybe I could read that and then we'll continue.
So it says,
Michael: Well Joe, I really, really enjoy this verse
because it really links the matter of calling on the name of the Lord with audibly crying out to the Lord.
Jeremiah says here, "You have heard my voice; do not hide Your ear at my breathing, at my cry."
So clearly, this is to call out to the Lord.
In the New Testament, the Greek word "to call on the name of the Lord"
means "to invoke a person" or "to call that person by name."
And it was first used by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:21.
Where it says there that "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
So we see from these two little examples from the Old Testament and the New Testament
that calling on the name of the Lord is to call out, to cry out, and to call out to the person of the Lord Jesus.
Joe: Why do we need to call on the name of the Lord?
Michael: Well, we call on the name of the Lord first of all to be saved.
Roman 10:13 says, "Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
According to the Psalms, another reason for calling on the name of the Lord is
to be rescued from distress, trouble, and sorrow.
Three, we call on the name of the Lord to receive the Lord's plenteous mercy.
Psalm 86:5 says, "You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy to those who call out to you."
Then four, the best and easiest way to be filled with the Spirit is to call on the name of the Lord.
We also see from Isaiah chapter 55, that the best way to eat and drink the Lord is to call on the name of the Lord.
From Lamentations chapter 3, with the prophet Jeremiah,
we see that calling on the name of the Lord is the same as our spiritual breathing.
Calling on the name of the Lord affords us a way to enjoy the riches of the Lord.
And this is very much emphasized in 1 Corinthians,
a book that is very much on the enjoyment of Christ.
And finally, calling on the name of the Lord is a way to stir ourselves up in our spirit.
Joe: What's the best way to practice calling on the name of the Lord?
Michael: The best way to practice calling on the name of the Lord, first of all, is from a pure heart.
Second Timothy 2:22 says,
Secondly, to call on the name of the Lord we need pure lips.
In Zephaniah 3:9 the Lord says, "For then I will change the language of the peoples into a pure language
that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah."
So not only do we need a pure heart, we also need a pure lip.
Then also, we need to open our mouth. In Psalm 81 the Lord says, "Open your mouth and I will fill it."
So when we open our mouth that helps our calling very, very much.
Then also again referring to 2 Timothy 2:22, we call corporately.
It's so good actually Joe, to call on the name of the Lord not just individually
but also with other brothers and sisters who are also enjoying calling on the name for the Lord.
We should also call on the name of the Lord daily.
In Psalm 88:9 "I have called upon Your name, O Jehovah, every day."
And then finally, we should call on the name of the Lord as long as we live.
Psalm 116 verse 2 says, "Therefore I will call upon Him all of my days."
Michael, it's been enjoyable discussing this matter of calling on the name of the Lord
as a way to experience and enjoy the Lord Jesus.
Thank you for joining us today and we hope to have you on again soon.