Living on a Prayer: The Altar at Bethel

Last week we learned about the altar Abram built for God in . We learned just what it means to be a family of faith, living as fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. With just one word from the Lord, Abram uprooted his family from all they knew and began to look for the place of God’s leading! God spoke with Abram ONCE and he did all that!

Let’s pick up our biblical account immediately after Shechem:

After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There, he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord. Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev. At that time, a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner. Genesis 12:8-10 (NLT)

Did you notice the change in Abram? Before his journey, God spoke to him and his response was obedience to God’s instructions. Then, the Lord appeared to Abram in Shechem and confirmed His covenant with Abram. He then built an altar and dedicated it to the Lord. Now, as he continues on his journey, he finds a place to camp, and his response to the word of the Lord and the visitation of the Lord? He builds an altar at Bethel, and this time, he worships the Lord there!

Abram is growing in his relationship with God. This time, the Lord had not appeared nor spoken audibly to him. He chose to worship the God who had already spoken and already appeared to him. Intimacy with God is similar to intimacy in our other relationships.

How many of us know God has already spoken to us through His word and has already spoken to us through His Holy Spirit! We have not seen God, like Abram and the NT disciples, but Jesus said to His disciple :

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” John 20:29 (NLT)

We often want to have deep, abiding relationships with others, but we are unwilling to do what it takes to make these relationships possible.

-Passing glances and waves at your neighbors? Now, go over there with a purpose (and a fresh baked pie!)

-A quiet smile at the grocery store and nothing more? Smile and speak boy…speak! (fake bark!)

-A neighbor has a need, sickness, their garbage can fell over, their car looks dented…go over there and ask what you can do to help! Be a friend! Build a report! Love them as they are!

Quiz: How many close friends do we have? How many do we want?

Close friends versus acquaintances: Are you lonely while in relationships?

This isn’t only good advice for new friends, this is also good counsel for loving God.

Our relationship begins with the Holy Spirit reaching out to …now we reach out to …pushing selfishness and fear aside. We worship in spite of our feelings/situations.

We worship whom upon we choose to focus!
We praise whom we choose to value!
We honor whom we choose to respect!

What/whom has your family witnessed you worship?

A. Abraham worshipped God (Before the promises were realized)

God made promises to him, but none of them had materialized yet!
We need to praise God on the promise/potential.
Worship with !

At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner. As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”

And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace. Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

But the Lord sent terrible plagues upon Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply. “What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ and allow me to take her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and get out of here!” Pharaoh ordered some of his men to escort them, and he sent Abram out of the country, along with his wife and all his possessions. Genesis 12:10-20 (NLT)

B. Abraham still had problems (The struggle was real for this immigrant family)

Famine hit the land…Our world is in a spiritual famine
Egyptians took his wife…relationships are in trouble…worship wrong things
He got ran out of Egypt…didn’t fit in…on purpose.

So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. (Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again. Genesis 13:1-4 (NLT)

C. Abraham worshipped God again! (In good times)

He was made wealthy in the land of Egypt but remained faithful
He worshipped during his “in-between”
Then, he chose well…to camp in Canaan [Bethel: The House of God]

Abrams’s altar and life TOWARD Bethel was his willingness to center his family/relationship/future on the things of God. Choosing to become a friend of God and not to give in to a “pay for praise” mentality!

We must live our lives as the house of God:

a. Worship only God (don’t be distracted by distractions)
b. Tell others about (don’t be distracted by danger)
c. Focus on life as the home of God (don’t be distracted by the dough)

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. James 4:8 (NLT)

If we draw near, He will draw nearer…