THE NAME OF THE LORD IN YOUR HOME
Part 2

"Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise"
(Nehemiah 9:5).

BLESS OTHERS in the name of the Lord

As believers who are blessed of the Lord, it is our privilege to not only daily bless the name of the Lord but to bless others in the name of the Lord. In the tabernacle days the priests of the Lord were chosen "To minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 10:8, 21:5 and 1 Chronicles 23:13). We have now been made "priests" and therefore we should see it as a responsibility to bless others in His name.

We will of course always start with our own immediate family. Ask God to give you words of blessings to speak to your husband and to each of your children each day. In our home we love to celebrate the Shabbat meal each Friday evening where my husband takes time to bless me, the children who are with us, and whoever else is at our table. This brings such richness and well-being to the family.

After David brought the ark of God back to Jerusalem he "blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts" and gave to every person and gift of "a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins" (2 Samuel 6:18-19). You can bless someone in the name of the Lord with words, food, or also physical gifts. Always be thinking of ideas of how to bless others.

CALL on the name of the Lord

It is a wonderful thing to pray. But, sometimes we come face to face with problems that are too big for us to handle. The impossible mountain rises before us. The troubles are overwhelming . The Psalmist was in this state when he realized it was not enough to pray; he had to call upon the Lord. Psalm 116:3-4 says, "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul." Two more times in this psalm he calls upon the name of the Lord (verses 13 and 17).

The word "call" is qara and means "to call aloud, to roar, to implore." In times of desperation you may have to find some place where you can get alone to really cry out to the name of the Lord. Yes, CRY OUT LOUD.

Here are some examples of men of God who called upon the name of the Lord;

Abraham called upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 12:8; 13:4 and 21:33).
Isaac called upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 26:25).
Elijah called on the name of the Lord and God answered by fire (1 Kings 18:24-38).
Moses and Aaron called upon the name of the Lord (Psalm 99:6).
David called upon the name of the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:8; Psalm 17:6;
Samuel called upon the name of the Lord (Psalm 99:6).
Jeremiah called upon the name of the Lord (Lamentations 3:55).

Did you know that the early Christians were also known as those who call upon the name of the Lord? Acts 9:14 tells us about Paul who was given authority from the chief priests "to bind all that call on thy name." Acts 9:14 and 21 tell us the believers were persecuted who "called on this name."

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he addressed them as those who "call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" (1:2). Paul wrote to Timothy encouraging him to "follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22). Read also Acts 2:21; 22:16; Romans 10:13.

The people of the world knew they were believers because of their calling upon the name of the Lord. Would our friends and neighbors know this about us? How do they know we are different if we do not call upon the Lord? Jeremiah 10:25 gives us a powerful challenge when it tells us that the families who do not call upon His name may as well be heathen! We read the same message in Isaiah 64:7.

CONFESS the name of the Lord

AT the dedication of the temple, Solomon prayed, "When thy people Israel . . . have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house; then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel" (1 Kings 8:33-35). We must confess the name of the Lord in order for Him to hear us. We must confess the name of the Lord to be saved (Romans 10:8-9). We must confess the name of the Lord so that Christ will confess us before His Father in Heaven (32-33).

DO EVERYTHING in the name of the Lord

Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Make this a memory verse in your family. Encourage everyone in your family to make this their goal for every day, to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Whatever comes out of our mouth should honor the name of the Lord. Whatever action we do should honor the name of the Lord Jesus. No task is too demeaning when you do it in the name of the Lord. Washing dishes, doing laundry, scrubbing floors and tending to your children become sacred tasks when you do them in the name of the Lord. What an exciting way to live.

PRAYER:

Father God, please help me to be always blessing others in your name. Help me to realize that everything I do in your name becomes a sacred task, no matter how small or insignificant. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I'm tired of always stooping to moan,
Instead I'm blessing everyone in my home!

Blessings from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

FURTHER SCRIPTURES TO READ ABOUT CALLING ON THE LORD:
Judges 6:6; 1 Chronicles 5:18-20; Psalm 105:1; 80:18; 145:18; Isaiah 12:4; Joel 2:32; Zephaniah 3:9 and Zechariah 13:9.