WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF YOUR ALTAR?1 KINGS 18:30 - THEN ELIJAH SAID TO ALL THE PEOPLE , "NOW COME TO ME," SO THEY GATHERED AROUND HIM, AND ELIJAH REBUILT THE ALTAR OF THE LORD WHICH HAD BEEN TORN DOWN.
AN ALTAR IS A PLACE SEPARATED FOR WORSHIP UNTO GOD, A PLACE WHERE PRAYERS AND PRAISES ARE OFFERED. IT IS A PLACE OF REFUGE AND A PLACE OF COMFORT FROM THE TROUBLES OF THIS WORLD. IT IS A PLACE TO HUMBLE YOURSELF, TO OFFER THANKS AND TO MAKE VOWS. IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO CLIMB MT. MORIAH AND OFFER UP YOUR ISAAC. IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOUR LIFE IS CHANGED AND YOU CAN DISCOVER YOUR DESTINY. IT IS A PLACE WHERE SINNERS BECOME SAINTS AND SAINTS ANSWER THE CALL TO CARRY THE GOSPEL TO A WORLD THAT IS LOST AND DYING.
HAVING AN ALTAR IS SO MUCH MORE THAN PRAYING FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES EACH DAY. IT IS A PLACE WHERE EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT EVEN SAY A WORD, THE PRESENCE OF GOD SURROUNDS YOU. IT IS WHERE YOU CAN DIE AND FIND LIFE ABUNDANTLY. IT IS A PLACE OF DEDICATION AND CONSECRATION WHERE YOU LAY YOURSELF ON THE ALTAR AND SAY "I AM YOURS, GOD, YOU MAY USE ME AS YOU CHOOSE." TO SOME IT IS JUST A PIECE OF WOOD BUT TO ME IT IS A PLACE WHERE OUR SINFUL WOMAN DIED AND WE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.
WHY AN ALTAR? WITHOUT IT WE ARE CONFINED IN OUR MINDS, STUCK IN THE WORLDLY WAYS, AND THOUGHTS, THERE IS NO FEELING OF RELEASE OR SENSE OF CLOSURE FROM THE OUR SINS. THERE IS A DEEPER SENSE OF COMFORT AND FORGIVENESS.
ITS LIKE WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR PARENT YOUR SO CLOSE TO OR A BEST FRIEND ON THE PHONE, IT IS NOT THE SAME AS SEEING THEM FACE TO FACE, AND FEELING THEIR TOUCH, YOU GET A BETTER SENSE OF ATTACHMENT AND LOVE THEN ON THE PHONE, AS I FOR TOLD HAVING AN ALTAR IS NOT LIKE PRAYING FOR 15 MINUTES EACH DAY IT IS RATHER WHERE YOU CAN GO AND JUST SIT IN COMPLETE SILENCE AND YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS RIGHT THERE HOLDING YOUR HAND, CATCHING YOUR TEARS, SOOTHING YOUR PAIN, RENEWING YOUR HEART, BUT BEST OF ALL WE ARE GETTING TO KNOW HIM EVEN MORE EACH TIME.
ELIJAH CONFRONTED THE PROPHETS OF BAAL.
VERSE 30 TELLS US THAT BEFORE ELIJAH TOOK HIS TURN TO APPEAL TO HIS GOD,
"HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THAT HAD BEEN BROKEN DOWN' BY THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. THE FALSE PROPHETS OF BAAL HAD SPENT MOST OF THE DAY DANCING, CUTTING THEMSELVES, AND DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET THE ATTENTION OF A GOD THAT COULDN'T HEAR THEM.
BUT BEFORE ELIJAH SOUGHT AFTER GOD, HE KNEW HE NEEDED TO REBUILD THE ALTAR. WHY, BECAUSE BEFORE A SACRIFICE COULD BE MADE OR BEFORE GOD COULD ANSWER ELIJAH'S PRAYER IN A MIRACULOUS WAY, BEFORE THE PEOPLE COULD EXPERIENCE REVIVAL, ELIJAH HAD TO FIRST REPAIR THE ALTAR.
WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF OUR ALTAR? IS IT TEAR STAINED? IS IT SATURATED WITH YOUR CONSECRATION AND SELF-SACRIFICE? IS IT WORN FROM USING IT SO MUCH? OR IS IT A LITTLE DUSTY? MAYBE IT HAS BEEN MOVED FROM A PROMINENT PLACE TO A BACK ROOM? MAYBE IT IS BROKEN DOWN FROM DISUSE, MAYBE IT HAS BEEN THROWN OUT ALTOGETHER? JUST AS ELIJAH DID MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR SOME OF US TO REBUILD OUR ALTAR. IF WE DO, JUST AS GOD DID FOR ISRAEL, HE WILL MEET US THERE AND THE MIRACULOUS WILL HAPPEN.
AN ALTAR IS A PLACE SEPARATED FOR WORSHIP UNTO GOD, A PLACE WHERE PRAYERS AND PRAISES ARE OFFERED. IT IS A PLACE OF REFUGE AND A PLACE OF COMFORT FROM THE TROUBLES OF THIS WORLD. IT IS A PLACE TO HUMBLE YOURSELF, TO OFFER THANKS AND TO MAKE VOWS. IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOU SOMETIMES HAVE TO CLIMB MT. MORIAH AND OFFER UP YOUR ISAAC. IT IS A PLACE WHERE YOUR LIFE IS CHANGED AND YOU CAN DISCOVER YOUR DESTINY. IT IS A PLACE WHERE SINNERS BECOME SAINTS AND SAINTS ANSWER THE CALL TO CARRY THE GOSPEL TO A WORLD THAT IS LOST AND DYING.
HAVING AN ALTAR IS SO MUCH MORE THAN PRAYING FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES EACH DAY. IT IS A PLACE WHERE EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT EVEN SAY A WORD, THE PRESENCE OF GOD SURROUNDS YOU. IT IS WHERE YOU CAN DIE AND FIND LIFE ABUNDANTLY. IT IS A PLACE OF DEDICATION AND CONSECRATION WHERE YOU LAY YOURSELF ON THE ALTAR AND SAY "I AM YOURS, GOD, YOU MAY USE ME AS YOU CHOOSE." TO SOME IT IS JUST A PIECE OF WOOD BUT TO ME IT IS A PLACE WHERE OUR SINFUL WOMAN DIED AND WE CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.
WHY AN ALTAR? WITHOUT IT WE ARE CONFINED IN OUR MINDS, STUCK IN THE WORLDLY WAYS, AND THOUGHTS, THERE IS NO FEELING OF RELEASE OR SENSE OF CLOSURE FROM THE OUR SINS. THERE IS A DEEPER SENSE OF COMFORT AND FORGIVENESS.
ITS LIKE WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR PARENT YOUR SO CLOSE TO OR A BEST FRIEND ON THE PHONE, IT IS NOT THE SAME AS SEEING THEM FACE TO FACE, AND FEELING THEIR TOUCH, YOU GET A BETTER SENSE OF ATTACHMENT AND LOVE THEN ON THE PHONE, AS I FOR TOLD HAVING AN ALTAR IS NOT LIKE PRAYING FOR 15 MINUTES EACH DAY IT IS RATHER WHERE YOU CAN GO AND JUST SIT IN COMPLETE SILENCE AND YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS RIGHT THERE HOLDING YOUR HAND, CATCHING YOUR TEARS, SOOTHING YOUR PAIN, RENEWING YOUR HEART, BUT BEST OF ALL WE ARE GETTING TO KNOW HIM EVEN MORE EACH TIME.
ELIJAH CONFRONTED THE PROPHETS OF BAAL.
VERSE 30 TELLS US THAT BEFORE ELIJAH TOOK HIS TURN TO APPEAL TO HIS GOD,
"HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THAT HAD BEEN BROKEN DOWN' BY THE PROPHETS OF BAAL. THE FALSE PROPHETS OF BAAL HAD SPENT MOST OF THE DAY DANCING, CUTTING THEMSELVES, AND DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET THE ATTENTION OF A GOD THAT COULDN'T HEAR THEM.
BUT BEFORE ELIJAH SOUGHT AFTER GOD, HE KNEW HE NEEDED TO REBUILD THE ALTAR. WHY, BECAUSE BEFORE A SACRIFICE COULD BE MADE OR BEFORE GOD COULD ANSWER ELIJAH'S PRAYER IN A MIRACULOUS WAY, BEFORE THE PEOPLE COULD EXPERIENCE REVIVAL, ELIJAH HAD TO FIRST REPAIR THE ALTAR.
WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF OUR ALTAR? IS IT TEAR STAINED? IS IT SATURATED WITH YOUR CONSECRATION AND SELF-SACRIFICE? IS IT WORN FROM USING IT SO MUCH? OR IS IT A LITTLE DUSTY? MAYBE IT HAS BEEN MOVED FROM A PROMINENT PLACE TO A BACK ROOM? MAYBE IT IS BROKEN DOWN FROM DISUSE, MAYBE IT HAS BEEN THROWN OUT ALTOGETHER? JUST AS ELIJAH DID MAYBE IT IS TIME FOR SOME OF US TO REBUILD OUR ALTAR. IF WE DO, JUST AS GOD DID FOR ISRAEL, HE WILL MEET US THERE AND THE MIRACULOUS WILL HAPPEN.
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