Life of Abraham 2

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Pitch Tents and Build Altars

Intro

people are making moves: engaged, married, retiring, starting businesses, changing careers, writing books, moving, joining the military, moving out, moving in
and all the move making is great, if that is what the Lord is telling you to do
If you are making moves, I have a word for you
Even if you are not making moves, I have a word for you because life will often move you
Genesis 12:8 NASB95
8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.
In Bible Study this week we learned that God called Abraham to leave his home and relatives
God gave Abraham purpose and made him promises
Abraham responded with faith: living for purpose, and believing in the promises of God
Abraham is constantly on the move, and when he stops, he pitches a tent and builds an altar. A pattern that continues throughout his life, and provides instruction for us.

pitch tents

Abraham is a nomad, and nomads use tents
tents are for a temporary residence
living quarters for a limited time
for when you understand that things are not permanent
in other words: you don’t plan on staying long, because you recognize that where you are is not your home, nor final destination
if it was, you would build house, home, community, walled city, and settle down
When you serve the Lord, follow God, living for his purposes - you must recognize that this world is not your home, nor final destination, you are just passing through, therefore you should pitch tents wherever you go
in other words, don’t settle down with the world
don’t get too comfortable with the things of this world
don’t put down roots in this world
don’t put your hope in this world
don’t lose yourself in this world . . . just pitch a tent
When I went off to college, I was so caught up in being a college student, that I didn’t do good in college
the people who did well, where the people who came there to get out . . .temporary residence
Are you getting so caught up in living life, that you are not doing good in life?
The people that God says, “Well done” to, will be the people who live this life, knowing they have to get out
put effort in trying to have a good career, but don’t get caught up
seek multiple streams of income, but don’t get caught up
increase your education, but don’t get caught up
be as healthy as possible, but don’t get caught up
enjoy your family, but don’t get caught up
just pitch a tent . . . it’s tempting to try to build a walled fortress around the good things in life
If I could just go back 15/20 years!
first of all, I was younger . . .
mom and dad, alive and healthy, family members were all at the same church, no one lived too far away
all the kids at the age where you could say, go and play, and not have to really watch them
my five, my sister, brother in law, nephew, niece . . . go to mom and dad’s house . . . eat, talk, and laugh
sometimes play games for hours . . . If I could just stay right there, build a brick home right there, put down roots right there
but God did not put me on this earth just to eat, talk, laugh, and play games with my family . . . that was just a blessing he allowed me to enjoy
my purpose is to not keep my family, but be there for my family
my purpose is to pastor God’s people
preach the gospel, teach his word, be used to lead lost souls to Christ Jesus
make some music that will lift up the name of the most high
let my light so shine before men . .
so wherever I am, even if it’s a glorious time . . . I must pitch a tent
my dad used to say, “things in life will be taken from you, or you will be taken from them”
so our children continued to grow and go, people moved to locations further out, new obligations made scheduling get togethers difficult, health began to fail, and even death arrived at the door . . . so I had to pack up my tent from that spot
things have drastically changed, I live in a totally new situational tent . . . but my purpose has not changed, cause God’s purpose for our lives travels well
so even in good times, just pitch a ten
pitching a tent also helps you in the rough times
when you have that, “I’m just living in a pitched tent” mentality, you realize that in bad times, you are not stuck in a walled city, you are in a temporary tent
you might have to endure for a while, but you won’t be there always
There have been great times at WMBC, and some rough times at WMBC
having to have church in YMCA - just temporary
having church in a little run down house - just temporary
when we got kicked out of church building across the street and had church at my parents’ home
pandemic causing us to not meet in person for over a year
those were rough times, but God helped us each time, we were not stuck there, nor felt we were stuck there
and in all those times, our purpose remained the same, “showing the love and power of God”
I told you that purpose travels well
that problem that you are facing, is real, but you’re not stuck with it, it’s temporary, you will be moving on
you don’t have to build a house in despair and misery
just pitch a tent, and focus on your purpose

Building altars

as Abraham moves, not only does he pitch tents, he also builds altars
“and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord”
altars are about recognizing /respecting God
connecting with God, thanking God, praising God, calling upon God for help
everywhere you go in life, recognize/respect the Lord
in places you like, in places you don’t like
circumstances you like, circumstances you don’t like
build an altar
even when it seems that you don’t need him cause things are going good
even when you’re mad at God because of what he allowed in your life
build an altar
always recognize/respect God, connect with God, thank God, worship God
call on the name of the Lord
build an altar
altars were made out of stone, not easily torn down
so when we talk building an altar, we are not talking a casual connection with God, but a strong one
a strong connection/relationship that’s not easily torn down
the winds of life should not be able to knock your altar down
in every stage of life, with every move you make keep a strong connection with the Lord
so very often when we get to a new stage in life, or make the life altering move
we leave people and things behind
but you better not leave the Lord behind
everywhere you go, with every move you make, with every step you take, you need to build a altar
you can’t really use the old altar . . . you’re in a new situation
you need to connect with God in this NEW situation, so you need a new altar
for God tends to move differently in different places
Just like with Moses, hit the rock the first time, speak to the rock the second time
just like with David, take the giant head on the first time, but when facing an evil king . . .run away and I will sustain you
likewise in your new situation, things might be different
at the last place you needed patience to do what you are called to do . . . in this place you need peace
last place you had to overcome an obstacle . . . this place you have to overcome a person
last place you needed to trust God with finances . . . this place you have to trust him with health
therefore you must connect with God all over again, in every season of your life
this is Abraham’s second altar already, he had just built one in verse 7
but he made a move, so he built an altar
new job, build an altar
get a promotion
career change
new baby on the way
child leaving the house
going to school
graduated school
don’t try to use an old level of spirituality on a new level of living
Let me speak plainly on what I mean by building an altar to the Lord, especially a new one
not only do you need to pray everyday like your life depends on it
and your prayers should be evolving
more informed, more scriptural, less selfish
more reflective of the new situation
more about listening
you need to keep learning God’s Holy Word
you should know more about the Bible this year, than you did last year
Too many Christians think if they know the Lord’s prayer, they’re set (or John 3:16)
your understanding should be deeper
you should know what the Bible says about your current situation
and altars are for sacrifices
a sign that you have built an altar is that you are making sacrifices
at every stage of life you should be making sacrifices for the Lord
sacrificing time, money, your will in order to do His will
what are you sacrificing right now
I could be doing this, but instead I am doing this for the Lord
I could have spend money on this, but instead I gave it the church
I could have said this and really hurt their feelings, but I sacrificed my pride on the altar and kept my mouth shut

Let’s put it all together

what was your last move, . . .whether you initiated it, or it happened to you?
marriage, divorce, career change, graduation, going back to school, promotion at the job, quitting a job, birth of a child, new relationship, lost relationship?
First, only pitch a tent in this situation
good or bad, understand that it’s not forever
don’t get so wrapped up in it that you lose focus on your God given purpose
don’t get lost in the joy of it
or lose yourself in the pain of it
just set up a tent in your new condition
your purpose is still the same, and must remain the focus
I will enjoy the blessing but not lose sight of why God put me here
with the strength of God I will endure the pain, and still produce fruit according to my purpose
(if you don’t know, you really need to seek the Lord)
Secondly, build an altar in this new situation
determine to stay connected with God, don’t drift away
you still need God
keep praying, keep learning the word
see what type of sacrifices God wants you to make in this new place
God must remain first
then it sounds funny, but any pastor with experience is concerned when a dedicated member is blessed
when they were broke, single, and walking you couldn’t beat them to church: they were at every service, every Bible study, every prayer call
but when they got some money, when they met someone special, when they finally got that car, they forgot to build an altar . . . and they drift away
don’t be that person
to any young people: when you leave the house don’t leave God
build a altar at your new situation
As a church - we have to let go of pre-pandemic church and pitch a tent in 2021
some members we simply won’t see anymore, they have left for good
founding pastor and 1st lady have passed away
it’s sad, it hurts . . . but we can’t get lost in the way it was
our purpose remains, “show the love and power of God”
so we pitch a tent in this new era, and fulfill our purpose
knowing that God might move us again in 3 months or 3 years
As a church - we also have to build an altar where we are
connect with God in this new season
some new prayer warriors need to arise
as a church body we must pray together, and pray for each other
when the prayer request come on our phone, pray like never before
have to get in on this Bible Study, even though it’s on Zoom
grown in your own personal Bible Study
sacrifice and take on different or new positions and responsibilities
sacrifice our comfort level and do some things a new way
ex. lights and tripods in the middle of the sanctuary
Even Jesus pitched a tent
He came from glory and pitched his tent on earth for 33 years
He plainly told the people, I am not of this world
often he didn’t even have a tent, he said foxes have dens and birds have nest, but I don’t have a place to lay my head
but that did not matter because Jesus was focused on his purpose
he pitched his tent in a mortal body, and fulfilled his purpose by living, dying, and rising from the dead
He didn’t have to build an altar because he was God
he said I and the Father are one
but at every major move we find Jesus praying
before starting his ministry
before picking the 12
before going to cross
always keeping that connection strong
and one day, all of this tent pitching will be over, for Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you
now that’s the place where we can finally settle down
John the Revealator said, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, that’s a place where you can settle down
and he saw a holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God
permanent place for Revelation said that it had a great and high wall
with twelve gates, three gates in the east
with precious stones everywhere
and there was no temple, thus no altar . . . the the Lord God almighty will dwell among us
and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, no more death, sorrow, crying, pain . .. passed away
no more tents, no more temporary homes
take your rest, you’re finally home . . . Well done

Personal Story

Dad and mom seemed to get a kick out of saying that I was their pastor
though it was kind of embarassing, it felt good to know they were proud of me
Dad would says this from hospital to hospital, nursing home to nursing home
i believe he felt some measure of comfort that the ministry, purpose of the church was carrying on
WMBC was so important to him
Sad but inspiring event transpired his last time in the hospital
you could tell his mind was cloudy, and he was starting to lose memory
I asked, “What is the name of your church?
a man who founded WMBC
Pastored for over 30 years
put his heart, soul, sweat, tears into WMBC
His life’s work
the one so proud to say my son is the pastor of WMBC
He said, Bethel AME . . . the church were he got saved . . .
you could say that it was the church where he first built an altar, where he first called on the name of the Lord
when it comes down to it, everything is temporary but your relationship with God

Invitation

even the unsaved can see that folks dying left and right (buildings collapsing, shooters shooting, storm winds blowing)
trying to build a permanent home in this life, makes no sense
the only strong tower is the name of the Lord
build your first altar, give your life to Christ
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