ARE YOU AN ALTAR BUILDER?
Gen. 13:4
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A man traveling on a plane noticed the woman sitting next to him was wearing a dazzling diamond ring. “That’s a beautiful ring,” he remarked.
2. “Thank you. It’s the famous Vanderburg diamond,” she said. “But it also comes with a terrible curse.” He said, “A curse? What kind of curse?” “Mr. Vanderburg.”
B. THESIS & TITLE
1. I want to talk about prayer this morning. Prayer opens the channel between you and Almighty God.
2. Prayer pulls back the curtain of the temporary and lets us see into the eternal. Prayer opens possibilities of help from the greatest source. Prayer moves the arm that moves the world!
3. “History proves, beyond question, that prayer can change the world. A prayer warrior, on their knees [can] alter the very destiny of people and nations.” Dick Eastman, paraphrased
4. If prayer is that important, then your altar-time with God is all-important! YOU NEED TO BE AN ALTAR BUILDER!
5. Abraham, the “father of faith” and “friend of God” was an altar builder; he built altars in Shechem (12:7), Bethel (12:8), Hebron (13:8), probably Beersheba (21:32), and Jerusalem (22:9).
6. Many others were altar builders, so we’re going to look at the PURPOSE, the SACRIFICES, and the 7 STEPS to building an altar. Q “Are You an Altar Builder?”
I. THE PURPOSE OF THE ALTAR
A. IT’S A SACRED PLACE OF WORSHIP
1. When Abraham took stones and built an altar, it wasn’t how the stones were set up that mattered, but the INTENT of his heart. He was setting up official place/ formal/ serious… to meet with God.
2. It wasn’t a casual meeting. Abraham wasn’t meeting with an equal, but with God, who’s the Great King (Mal. 1:14). We should approach Him with respect and honor.
3. He’s not the “man-upstairs” or just “daddy God.” He’s the God who’s eternal, immortal, omnipresent & omnipotent, whom we can’t comprehend. You show me a worm that comprehend a man, and I will show you a man that can comprehend God! There’s no one else like Him!
4. We don’t worship Him because He needs it, but because it’s the right thing to do. Just like you can’t help but say, “Awesome!” when you see a spectacular mountain scene, or be moved by a magnificent piece of music, just so we should be moved by the love, goodness, and character of God!
5. We come to worship, to praise, and to give Him glory for His goodness and grace toward us!
B. IT’S A PLACE OF SACRIFICE
1. The whole idea of “sacrifice” is that you lose or give up something. David knew this, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord… that [which] COSTS ME NOTHING” 2 Sam. 24:24. We have the innate desire to give God something of worth. All we have…is the devotion of our hearts.
2. Many people put little or no effort into their prayer life. They’re not consistent about meeting with God daily. YOU WILL HAVE TO “SACRIFICE” YOUR TIME & THOUGHT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!
3. Don’t think you can demand great things from God unless you are prepared to sacrifice great things for God. The fire doesn’t fall on an empty altar, a selfish life, a life of pleasure or a monument built to our own greatness. The fire falls on the sacrificial life offered to God.
C. A PLACE OF REVELATION/MANIFESTATION
1. Down the centuries God revealed Himself to the patriarchs and prophets when they sought Him.
2. Frequently a supernatural manifestations took place at altars, as with Moses (Ex. 40:29,34), Manoah (Judg. 13:19), Samuel (1 Sam. 7:10), David (2 Sam. 24:17,25), Solomon (2 Chron. 7:1), and Elijah (1 Kgs. 18:38).
3. DO YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE SUPERNATURAL? Do you want to have God revealed to you? Then you must have a regular meeting place with God!
4. God made covenants – that is, PROMISES, to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Elijah, etc. – after meetings at an altar. If you commune with God and obey Him, God won’t fail to reward you. “He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” Heb. 11:6.
D. A PLACE OF FELLOWSHIP & INTERCESSION
1. Abraham built altars to call on the name of the Lord, to fellowship with God, and to pray. Abraham had such a close relationship with God that he was called “the Friend of God” (2 Chron. 20:7; Isaiah 41:8) by God Himself!
2. Q How many of you want to be the “friend of God?” Then you need to SET ASIDE TIME to spend with Him every day; not a hurried 5 minutes to check off your “to-do” list, but a sweet, unhurried, time - to wait on God & bask in His glory.
3. In addition, Abraham is famous for his interceding before God for Lot, his nephew (Gen. 18:23-33). His friendship with God afforded this special influence upon God. We can have the same potential influence.
II. SACRIFICES GOD CALLS US TO MAKE
A. “OUR BODIES”
1. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” Rom. 12:1.
2. Paul was aware of our tendency to emphasize buildings and rituals, so he reminds us that we are all “priests unto God” (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) and the greatest sacrifice God wants us to make is ourselves!
3. God doesn’t want just a patronizing words or feelings. Paul says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you…? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
B. 7 SACRIFICES THAT PLEASE GOD
1. A BROKEN & CONTRITE HEART. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—O God, You will not despise” Psalm 51:16-17, NKJV.
2. TO OBEY THE LORD. ‘But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” 1 Sam. 15:22.
3. TO DO WHAT IS JUST & RIGHT. “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” Prov. 21:3.
4. ACKNOWLEDGE GOD. “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” Hosea 6:6.
5. SHOW MERCY, WALK HUMBLY. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy & to walk humbly with your God” Mic. 6:7-8.
6. PRAYER & PRAISE. “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” Ps. 141:2. “Offer unto God thanksgiving….Whoso offers praise glorifies Me” Ps. 50:14,23.
7. DO GOOD & SHARE WITH OTHERS. “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” Heb. 13:15-16.
III. SEVEN STEPS TO BUILD YOUR ALTAR
A. SET A TIME & PLACE
1. Pick a place and time to meet with God every day, preferably at the beginning of your day.
2. Can you imagine an orchestra not tuning their instruments before the concert? You must get in tune with God FIRST daily.
B. QUIET YOUR THOUGHTS
1. Stillness is essential to reception of instruction (“Be still and know that I am God,” Ps. 46:10). We must be quiet if we would hear his voice. Also, quit running to people and start going to God instead.
2. HUMOR. Some people do all the talking and no listening.
a. One pastor was called by a man who said he needed some advice. But when the man was in his office, he talked the entire appointment time, never getting around to listening to any advice.
b. That man later told a friend that he learned a lot from the pastor during his visit! We do that with God!
3. 3 TYPES OF SILENCE: a. Verbal – quit talking; b. “silence of desires” – we can’t know God’s will if OURS is in the way; c. “silence of reasoning” – stop trying to figure everything out! It’s difficult in our busy culture to shut everything down and focus our attention on the Lord. Get quiet; wait on God!
C. REPENT OF ALL KNOWN SIN
1. If we have sin in our lives, God won’t hear our prayers (Isa. 59:2). So we MUST ask the Holy Spirit to examine our lives and show us any areas of sin. Say with David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and…and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Ps. 139:23-24.
2. ILLUS. At a recent meeting of Heart Surgeons (who recommend people get their hearts checked regularly), they
were asked how many had had a heart exam in the last year. No one could raise his hand! Neglect of checking our spiritual life is just as common! [Paul Tan, Ency. Of 7,700 Illus., #5527]
3. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, we should immediately repent and turn away from our sin. “The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” 1 Jn 1:7.
D. ASK TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
1. Paul says, “Be filled with the Spirit” Eph. 5:18, not just one time, but every day. Why is this important? Because the natural mind doesn’t comprehend the things of the Spirit!
2. Also, Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you into all truth” Jn. 16:13. We need guidance!
E. READ & MEDITATE ON THE WORD/BIBLE
1. The Bible is “the lamp for my feet, a light for my path….I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” Ps. 119:105,11. It’s our instruction manual.
2. The Bible helps us to think as God thinks, gives us His great promises, comforts us, is our spiritual food, guides us, and makes Jesus known to us. It sets us free! Reading it daily is not optional. You can’t be a Christian without the Bible!
F. PERSONAL INTERCESSION
1. Pray for yourself – hunger for God, burden for lost souls. Pray for your family and friends to come to Christ.
2. Pray for your church – for revival & the Spirit to fall.
3. Pray for your city, state, country – for peace & prosperity.
G. THANKSGIVING & PRAISE
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God” Phip. 4:6. Praise God for all His blessings!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: The Power of Prayer
1. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, they
routinely arrested men and killed them, for little or no reason.
2. One Christian leader was arrested twice but due to the prayers of his wife, he was let go. He was arrested a third time. The officers told his wife, “He’s been spared twice, but this time he will die!”
3. His wife put their 5 kids in a room and began a prayer vigil in the next room. At 4 a.m., she woke the children, “I need you all to help me pray for your father; there’s an unseen battle, I can’t fight it alone.”
4. We prayed for hours. Then we heard footsteps. The children thought the officers were coming for them, but their mother said, “Those are your father’s footsteps! He’s safe!”
5. The father came in spattered with blood and told his story, “I was in a row of ten men. I was the tenth. A soldier came down the row with a sword and killed each of the nine men ahead of me. He came to me and raised his sword – at that instance the commander suddenly screamed, “Stop!” He turned to me and screamed, “Get out of here! Go home!”
6. It happened at the time the mother enlisted the children to pray. The father said, “Now I know why I wasn’t killed; God intervened in answer to your prayers!” [Paul Tan, Ency. Of 7,700 Illus. #4578]
B. THE CALL
1. How many of you want to begin practicing family altar at your house? Slip up a hand.
2. How many of you, if you got under God’s examination light, know that there’s something you need to get under the Blood of Jesus today? Raise your hand.
3. How many of you have a special prayer need you want intercession for? Why don’t all who’ve raised your hands come to the front now. PRAYER.
