He Knows My Name Part #3

He knows and calls our name for chastisement and rebuke: As the Bible says, there is NOTHING new under the sun. THAT INCLUDES SIN!! It has been on not long after Adam and Eve were created. Because God is a righteous and holy God, and CANNOT bear sin, (Habakkuk 1:13), as His children, He HAS to chastise, rebuke, and address it!

Adam and Eve were created by the Lord and placed in what was the perfect environment, YET they both WILLINGINLY DISOBEYED the Lord. This is proof that our outward circumstances are not really what CAUSES us to sin, but what lies within us- a wicked, sinful nature and heart!!  The Lord said they could eat of ALL of the trees of the garden EXCEPT ONE of the two that were in the midst of the garden: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The other tree in the middle was the tree of life. They were side by side. (Gen. 2:8). Something new that the Lord showed me today is that Adam and Eve COULD HAVE EATEN OF THE TREE OF LIFE!!  Gen. 2: 16 says, "And the Lord God commanded THE MAN,  saying, of EVERY TREE of the garden THOU MAYEST FREELY EAT..." BUT, instead, Satan tempted Eve and drew her to the one that was deadly to them both! The Lord also knew from the foundation of the world that Adam and Eve would both sin against the command of the Lord. The reason the Tree of Life didn't appeal to them was because they SAW NO NEED to have to gain eternal life!! They had everything they could have wanted, were well and living happily, so in their eyes it wasn't needed or wanted! Satan KNEW this and appealed to Eve's human nature of lust. He came subtly to Eve, asking her of God's command in a way that made her DOUBT GOD'S WORD, asking if He REALLY said that to them!! He made her believe HIS LIE over God's Word, by making her think that the Lord was holding out on them, and there was SOMETHING BETTER that He was keeping from them (Gen 3: 1-5). Is that not what he does to us as God's children today? He will flash things in front of us, put thoughts in our head, that we NEED something when we really don't, since God has PROMISED to give us what we need (Philp. 4:19), and that we are missing out by obeying the Lord!??! Eve gave in to the great lust of wanting to be wise like God, and could CONTROL her own life!! She knew IMMEDIATELY as she took the bite of the fruit that something had happened!!  She died SPIRITUALLY inside, just as the Lord said they would die ( Gen 2:17). The glory of the Lord that covered her nakedness disappeared as well, and she KNEW she had sinned! The SAME THING happens to us when we sin as a child of the Lord. The power of the Holy Ghost is taken off of us to be used for the Lord because of disobeying, and fellowship is broken. The HOLY GHOST is STILL THERE, as He can never leave us (Heb. 13:5), but He now CONVICTS us of the sin we committed. Our hearts are immediately smitten with the sin ( 2 Sam. 24:10). The joy that was in us is gone.  Since we are now miserable, we want others to be too. Eve KNEW she had sinned, she had died, and THAT her AND ADAM were both naked. She went to him with the fruit, and he INSTANTLY saw she was different. She wanted him to eat too, to make her feel better about about what she had done, because she didn't want to be alone. She was trying to ease the pain. Adam WILLINGLY sinned too, eating the fruit she SHARED WITH HIM, not wanting her to be alone and chosing his wife OVER THE LORD. We are to love our spouses, but the LORD ALWAYS IS TO BE FIRST!
Adam and Eve were both in a mess now! They had fallen from innocence to know good and evil. They were convicted and immediately sewed fig leaves together to try to cover their sin, because they KNEW the Lord was going to see it! Because the Lord never forsakes us, He CAME CALLING BOTH OF THEM BY NAME!!! They heard THE VOICE of the Lord God WALKING in the garden, LOOKING FOR THEM! Praise the Lord, He doesn't leave us in our sinful state, but LOVES US, and comes LOOKING AND CALLING FOR HIS WAYWARD CHILDREN BY NAME!!!! They were hiding from His presence because of their sin. They were HIDING AND RUNNING from Him. He knows exactly where we are and comes asking "Where art thou?" He already knows, but WANTS US TO CONFESS where we are and what we have done! " Come now and let us reason together.... though your sins be as as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.." Ish.1:18.Adam responded and confessed where he was and what he had done. But, he tried to blame what he had done on Eve. Yes, she has brought the temptation before him, BUT he WILLINGLY chose to sin. He knew better and WASN'T DECIEVED like Eve was by the serpent. The Lord then addressed Eve's sin. She not only disobeyed the Lord, but CAUSED someone else to sin! She then admitted to it, but blamed the serpent. Satan did tempt her, but she sinned in CHOSING to believe the lie of Satan over the Truth of God's Word!!
The Lord loved them and WAS NOT going to leave them in this sinful, helpless state. They had confessed their sin and He had forgiven them, (I John 1:9), but they had to be punished. God can't wink at sin. The serpent was cursed above all beasts, Eve would bear children in sorrow and would be in subjection to Adam as the head of the home. Adam would be the leader of the home, and would have to work in hard labor, sweat, and toil all the days of his life. The earth was now under the curse of sin as well. When we sin, it also affects others. There is ALWAYS a snowball effect. BUT now, they BOTH saw their need of the TREE OF LIFE!! Until we see that we have sinned, we won't see our need to be saved from it!! The Lord offered them salvation by killing a sacrifice, and making them coats to cover their nakedness, or sin. This time they WILLINGLY accepted God's forgiveness, and took the coats of salvation and forgiveness, by taking the coats and putting them on. In order to PROTECT Adam and Eve from the temptation of eating of the Tree of Life, that would have made them live FOREVER in this sinful nature, He placed a Cherubim with a flaming sword to block the way to the tree, and forced them to leave the garden of Eden. From then on, Adam LED his home by God's Word and taught his family! He learned from his sin!
When the Lord corrects us as His children, He comes walking and looking for us as He did Adam and Eve BY NAME! He will forgive us when we confess our sin, cleanse us, and put us back into fellowship with Him. We can rejoice even in our chastisement, because it is confirmation that we are His Child.. " For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Heb.12:6. If we are out of the will of God, or have sinned, may He help us to ANSWER the call of His Voice that is looking for us!
"Pass me not oh gentle Saviour, Hear my humble cry. While on others thou art CALLING, DO NOT PASS ME BY!

He Knows My Name Part 2

2. He calls us by NAME for Fellowship and help:  The Lord calls us personally AFTER salvation, and STILL knows us by name after getting saved, because we are now HIS CHILD! A parent can't forget a child's name!! He knows who we are and what are needs are. "..before they call, I WILL ANSWER; AND WHILE THEY ARE YET SPEAKING, I WILL HEAR." Ish. 65:24 He knows that we need to communicate with Him daily! We need to talk to our Heavenly Father and CALL UPON HIS NAME!! Moses found himself in this area of need. In Exodus 33:12-19 tells the account of the Lord giving direction to Moses on how to the lead the children of Israel and where. Moses KNEW he could NOT do this on his own! He called upon the NAME OF THE LORD for help! Moses called out to God, claiming the PROMISE He had made him, and that God KNEW HIM PERSONALLY. ".. Yet thou hast said, I KNOW THEE BY NAME, and thou hast also found grace in my sight." Ex. 33:12c. Moses remembered the promise God had given him when He called him the first time to lead Israel out of Egypt. When we have a need, we need to REMEMBER THE PROMISES GOD has given to us! He will ALWAYS give us a promise before He gives a job to do for HIM! Since we He knows us as His child, we need to come to Him with EVERY trouble, trial, and need! Moses needed strength and reminding from the Lord that he could do the task at hand. "..shew me now THY WAY, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy  sight: and consider that this nation is thy people." Ex. 33:13. The Lord answered him .."My presence SHALL GO with thee, and I WILL GIVE THEE REST." He gave Moses the reminder and the BLESSED ASSURANCE that HE would give Moses rest from this burden he was carrying. " ..for thou has found grace in my sight, and I KNOW THEE BY NAME." Moses also asked to see the glory of the Lord. (vs 18-23) His prayer was answered. The Lord told Moses, " THERE IS A PLACE BY ME, and thou shalt stand upon a rock. And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by." (vs 21&22). Notice the Lord said THERE IS A PLACE BY ME. THIS IS WHERE HE WANTS US TO STAY-in the safety and shadow of Him! The Lord will ALWAYS hear the cries of fellowship and help from His children, because we ARE HIS. We have a new name now-HIS!!  He has promised to NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US!! Heb. 13:5 Thank God that HE KNOWS US BY NAME & that we KNOW HIM BY HIS! It is HIS WILL for us to get to know HIM closer by fellowship in calling HIS NAME!

He Knows My Name Part #1

Ever had trouble remembering someone's name, but knew their face? Or have you ever thought that people don't remember you as they should? The good news is that if both of those are true, and if you are a child of God, you DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT WITH HIM!! He knows ALL of HIS CHILDREN, and calls us by name!!!! He is the ONLY ONE that matters! He does so in many areas of our lives, but these are four that the LORD has shown me in the last few days.

1. He CALLS US BY NAME for Salvation! " ....I have redeemed thee, I HAVE CALLED THEE BY NAME; THOU ART MINE." Ish. 43:1c. When the Lord deals with our heart for repentance, or turning from our sin to Him, HE IS THE ONE CALLING US TO HIM! IT IS A PERSONAL MATTER! We don't find God, HE FINDS US! He knows EXACTLY where we are, and EXACTLY what our need is. Salvation is our greatest need! When we hear Him speaking to us, He is calling us by NAME. That VOICE of the sweet HOLY SPIRIT is that one talking to us. If you have NEVER received Jesus, or trusted Him as your Saviour today, LISTEN TO THAT STILL SMALL VOICE calling you by name! He loves you, died and took OUR punishment on the cross paying for OUR SIN, and ROSE FROM THE DEAD, JUST FOR YOU!! Salvation is PERSONAL!! Answer HIS PERSONAL CALL to be saved and become His child!!  HIS VOICE IS CALLING YOUR NAME to be SAVED!!! Don't you hear it now?? I PLEAD WITH YOU TO BE SAVED TODAY TOO!! YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT! The LORD will write YOUR NAME DOWN in the LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE, and your name will be added to the family of God! CALL ON HIS NAME TODAY!!!

 "... and in the day of salvation have I succoured (called or beckoned) thee: behold, NOW  is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2.