4 Altars in the Life of Abraham
Abram was an idol worshipper when the Lord called him to leave the Ur of the Chaldeans and began a journey of faith. He became a father of faith and a friend of God.
- We were once lost but it was the grace of God that found us and made us His own possessions.
- He cleanse us with His blood, fill us up with His Spirit and send on a journey.
Abraham built 4 altars. Each altar represents a phase in our Christian life:
1. The Altar of Promise (Genesis 12:5-7)
- An altar in the midst of his enemies.
- The enemy’s resistance is real, but what is sealed at the Father’s throne will survive and thrive (2 Timothy 1:12)
- Testing of our faith is essential to perfect us. Without a test there won’t be a testimony.
- The teacher is silent in a test. You may feel that the Lord has forgotten you, but hang on to the promises of God for they are ’Yes’ and ’Amen’!
2. The Altar of Intimacy (Genesis 12:8)
- An altar of increased familiarity, of growth in intimacy.
- Abraham was coming to know the Lord as more than just the God of all creation and power. He was finding a more intimate familiarity with the Lord.
- Receiving God’s promises for our lives and power over the enemy is not a substitute for growing in intimacy with Him on a personal level.
- Abraham’s faith was note the fruit of formulas and slogans. It was born out of a growing relationship on a personal level.
- An intimate walk with God will produce an impacting work among men.The Lord wants to work in, and with, and for and through yielded vessels!
3. The Altar of No Return (Genesis 13:3-4)
- Abraham’s trip to Egypt was a sad commentary on his fear and weakness.
- He built an altar of restoration to his former commitment.
- It’s a time and place where Abraham puts down a stake, saying "I’m here where God means for me to be, and there will be no wondering again ever!"
- We must arrive at this altar at some point. That doesn’t mean that there will be no more trials, tests and stumbling.
- But once the stake is driven and once the altar of no return is built in God’s presence, something will transpirt in the soul that causes us never to leave the assigned purposes of God, never to drift away in pursuit of anything of other interest again!
4. The Altar of Possession (Genesis 13:17-18)
- It’s one thing to have a given promise and another to have a possessed promise (Hebrews 13:10)
- We do not want to live from prophecy to prophecy, but from fulfillment to fulfillment!
Conclusion
The altar is a place where your life can be altered! Build yours today and lay yourself there as a sacrifice.
