Calling Upon The Lord

Disclaimer: Source material for this sermon has been gleaned from many different sources. I have attempted to acknowledge these sources whenever possible.

"CALLING UPON THE LORD"

TEXT: PSALM 145:14-19

KEY – Ps. 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”

Introduction: To call upon the Lord is to address or approach God with a specific request. It is a reverential act of summoning the aid of the Lord God Almighty. God wants us to call upon His name. Let us examine that for which God would have us to call upon Him.

I. Call upon the Lord for your material needs.

A. Matthew 6:8 “…your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

B. Many people make the mistake of thinking since God already knows their needs and will automatically meet them. Nothing could be further from the truth. God wants you to continually come to Him and be specific about all your needs.

C. James 4:2 “you do not have because you do not ask.”

D. Matthew 7:7 “"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

E. George Mueller knew how to call upon the Lord. He never made his needs known to anyone but God. He then waited for God to put the need on someone’s heart. The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat," the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in." Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children. Mueller kept a record of his prayers, and his prayer records filled more than 3,000 pages. His notes show that more than 30,000 prayers were answered.

F. Philippians 4:19 “my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

G. Psalm 34:6 “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

II. Call upon the Lord for deliverance and shelter from trouble

A. Psalm 50:15 “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

B. Psalm 91:15 “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.

C. The source of our safety and security is the Lord God Almighty, no threat, obstacle, or danger, no matter how great, is strongeer than God’s keeping power.

D. Psalm 55:16 “As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me.”

E. John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present—but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. Today in the Word, MBI, October, 1991, p. 18

F. Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.”

G. God never would send you the darkness, If He felt you could bear the light; But you would not cling to His guiding hand If the way were always bright; And you would not care to walk by faith Could you always walk by sight. So He sends you the blinding darkness, And the furnace of sevenfold heat; ’Tis the only way, believe me, To keep you close to His feet; For ’tis always so easy to wander When our lives are glad and sweet. Then nestle your hand in your Father’s, And sing, if you can, as you go; Your song may cheer someone behind you Whose courage is sinking low. - {The Crisis}