"And the LORD
appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and
there built he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.Genesis 12:7
In building an altar, he was like saying, "Lord, from now on everything is Yours. All that I am, all that I have, all that I can do and am going to do is for You." The same is true for us who have believed in Christ Jesus; if indeed our profession of faith in Christ is anything to write home about, then, it must translate into the loss of all things. This was the testimony of Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:7-9 when he said, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet, indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him..."
It is to this end that Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." When Abraham built an altar, it was an indication that he had counted the cost, and was ready to go the full hob with God. Were there challenges to this resolve? Absolutely, there were many, but none of these challenges kept him from following through on his commitment to God. Until we deny the flesh of its desire to rule and direct us, living entirely for God will be impossible. In a manner of speaking, like Abraham, we must build altars of commitment to God as the apostle Paul did. But the real question is, how far does each of us want to go with God.
Every step of the way in this kind of life is leading up to the mountain top where our faith claim will be tested. Is it true that we have forsaken all things? It won't be long, and that thing upon which our lives once revolve will be demanded of us. Then it will be crystal clear how true our claim is. On the mountain top of testing, God could say to Abraham, "...Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me." Genesis 22:12. O that God may say of us, "I know you."
Toni
In building an altar, he was like saying, "Lord, from now on everything is Yours. All that I am, all that I have, all that I can do and am going to do is for You." The same is true for us who have believed in Christ Jesus; if indeed our profession of faith in Christ is anything to write home about, then, it must translate into the loss of all things. This was the testimony of Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:7-9 when he said, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet, indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him..."
It is to this end that Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." When Abraham built an altar, it was an indication that he had counted the cost, and was ready to go the full hob with God. Were there challenges to this resolve? Absolutely, there were many, but none of these challenges kept him from following through on his commitment to God. Until we deny the flesh of its desire to rule and direct us, living entirely for God will be impossible. In a manner of speaking, like Abraham, we must build altars of commitment to God as the apostle Paul did. But the real question is, how far does each of us want to go with God.
Every step of the way in this kind of life is leading up to the mountain top where our faith claim will be tested. Is it true that we have forsaken all things? It won't be long, and that thing upon which our lives once revolve will be demanded of us. Then it will be crystal clear how true our claim is. On the mountain top of testing, God could say to Abraham, "...Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me." Genesis 22:12. O that God may say of us, "I know you."
Toni
