Amen. It's good to come into your homes on Facebook tonight, Sunday night. What a tremendous blessing it is to be with each and every one of you. This is Pastor Darrell Bailey from People's Valley Baptist Church coming to you live on Facebook and Sermon Audio. This is September the 6th, 2020. It's the 17th of Elul of 5780 of the Hebrew calendar. Hope and pray each and every one of you had a wonderful afternoon. I want to ask each and every one of you please to have a word of prayer with us a little bit later as we lift up some of the immediate needs of John Underwood that's at Redmond Park. Lavon had let us know some of the immediate needs and one of the things that she's afraid of is that they'll do a trachea. And so I want you to help us pray here shortly when we open up with a word of prayer. And so I thank God as we have this opportunity to come to each and every one of y'all. And let me see if I can adjust a couple of things and try to, might make things worse, who knows. But anyway, I'm trying to get it to where maybe you can see some things a little bit better. Don't know if I'll be able to make it or not. I've got a different camera and maybe I need to pull this thing back some. so that you can see it a little bit better. I don't know how that'll be, but hopefully you will be able to follow along with us a little bit better. haven't adjust I got a different camera for the instead of using the camera on the laptop and so Tonight we're going to be talking about Abraham's four altars the misbeha Yeah, and so that's the Hebrew word for altar is misbeha and m-i-z-b-e-a-h out of Genesis 12 verse 7 and that we're going to open up with and put on our screen here shortly. And so it is so good to come into all of your homes. We have a lot of needs at our church, and I'm sure you do. Even on my workplace, my supervisors had surgery and hip replacement. And so Kevin Randall, I want you to lift him up as he's got also heart conditions. John Underwood, as we pray for him and LeVon tonight, uh... as he's had to be put back on the ventilator from from all of his open heart and uh... they're thinking about they might have to do a trachea on him and so uh... well that's uh... really uh... more detailed work uh... that keep up with and watch after and so we just want to pray the lord's will tonight and pray for them and then later on we'll send them a a word that we've been praying for them also I want you to remember where the death angels come into all of our homes and our church family Helen Bradley had recently, as she had passed away this past week, also Susie New's brother and Sheila, a senior, her cousin, or actually it's not a cousin, it's her last mother's younger sister that she had to go up to Ella J this afternoon for that funeral. And so there's a lot of need that's taking place. And so I wanna ask you please to remember these many needs Dan Worthy, that'll be having eye surgery as well. You remember our church family, there's so many needs as well. Continue remembering Randall Burnham, our coworker that's still recovering from a broke shoulder and burns from electrocution on the job. And so we just lift up our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Father, we praise you tonight and we thank you for, Lord, looking into the needs of our church family tonight. Lord, we know that nothing is impossible with you. Father, we just relinquish everything into your hands. You are the great physician that we need, and Lord, you're the one that's in control of everything of our lives. Lord, I pray God that you'll just take and work through the doctors, guide their hands, every piece of equipment that's working, may it work at its very best ability. Lord, where skills will be at their very best, Lord, because you're overseeing it. Lord, for John Underwood and for LeVon, Father, Lord, I pray God that you'll just perform a miracle, help him to recover, to get his strength back, to get back into therapy. And Lord, I pray God that you'll just watch over him and watch over LaVon and give her courage and strength each day. Lord, build John Underwood back up in his strength father and Lord. I pray God for where the death angel has come May you help in each and every one of those areas and Lord to comfort because you're the only one that can comfort Lord No one else can do anything above you Lord I look to you for the greatest comfort of all in these areas of where the death angels come and Lord I thank you for our grief share program that we have as well and Lord, that we're doing to different individuals online, and I praise the name of Jesus that you'll just touch our church, and bless us tonight, Father. Be, Lord, with Dan worthy for his eye surgery that's up and coming. Give him calmness, peace, and assurance that, Lord, that as he trusts the hand of the surgeon, that you'll guide that surgeon, Father. Each as well, our boss, Kevin Randall, touch his heart. Lord, I pray, God, that when you've got the heart working, Everything works good. And so father I praise you and ask you Lord to be the great physician of his heart and bring it back together Miraculously father touch it in the name of Jesus I believe father in the power of prayer and I thank you for our corporate prayer that we have every Monday night with our church family, Lord. Lord, as we lift them up tonight, hide us behind your cross, touch us with the book of Genesis, and Lord, may we give glory and honor to you that the lost might receive the seed of the gospel, and Lord, that you might receive all the recognition and the glory in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. All right. Without any further ado, I thank God. Let's get our worship going here a little bit together. I thank God as we look at this. What a friend we have. What a frame we have in Jesus. All our griefs, sins, and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit? Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Are we weak and heavy-laden? Cumbered with a load of care, Precious Savior, still our refuge. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer. In His arms He'll take and shield thee. Thou will find us solace there. Amen. I thank God as we get into the word of God tonight. Before I do that though, man, I tell you, I can't help it. I like my little book of God's Direction, Amen, tonight as I look at it and begin to talk about, I'm gonna pick another thing out of here. And actually I'm looking for something in particular that deals with what we're dealing with tonight, amen. And that would be our sickness. You just bear with me just for a minute. God's direction when you're hurting. God's direction when you're hurting. Psalms 119, 49, and 50. Remember the word unto thy servant, unto which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort and my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. The pass flies high over the receiver's head. He leaps into the air, leaving his body vulnerable to hit from behind, and the safety charges toward him like a runaway train. Spectators wince at the impact, pain just to see it. The receiver hurts, but the camera is trained on him, and the opposing players are watching for signs of weakness, and his teammates are counting on him. There's no crying in football. The receiver is tough. He's a man's man. He gets up. He keeps on playing. We men are notorious for keeping our pain to ourselves, and when we hurt physically, emotionally, or mentally, we often don't talk about it or seek help for it. Maybe it's sinful pride. Maybe it's evidence of our need for control or simply part of the unwritten man code. Let's pass on a discussion of the unwritten code and comment instead on what's been written, especially in Psalms 119 verses 49 and 50 printed above. As we look at these words, admitting our hurts and our need to help show strength and courage rather than weakness. And God can work through so many means, friends, spouses, counselors, doctors, and even medicine. Men of God also find his help and hope in this world and consider just a few of the scriptures, many promises, that your Savior's promises He will. Work on your behalf for your goodness and everything that happens in Romans 8 28. Never abandon you nor allow anything to separate you from the love. Deuteronomy 31 6. Heal bodies and minds through His word and souls with His forgiveness and give an abundant life. John 10 10. Admitting our hurts shows strength and courage. The little prayer says I'm hurting Lord and I admit it. And I'm your man in need of help and forgiveness. lead me to godly help for my hurts your word gives me new life and hope help me to remember and rely on all of the promises you've given your word and you bring a sure and certain hope help for here and now and hope for my future and i pray in the healing name of jesus amen so that's uh The little God's Direction, 25 devotions for men from the King James Version. I always like to pick that up and share a little bit from that tonight. Tonight as we get into Abraham's four altars, amen, tonight. And so I hope and pray that you can see this as best that you can, amen. Abraham's four altars out of Genesis chapter 12, verse 7, that we look at this tonight, amen. I thank God as we get over into it. You know, have you ever thought about changing your life? Turning your life completely around? And you know, there's a lot of folks that have thought about that. But this is what happened to Abram, because God called Abram to change his life, to completely turn his life around. And God called Abram to forsake and to leave all that he had known behind. He turned away from the old country, from his neighbors, his friends, his relatives, his loved ones. He turned away from his father's household and from its property and from its possessions. And this is what is known as a separation, a spiritual separation, a life that is totally separated from this world and the things of the world. And it's also what is known as sanctification because a life that is totally set apart under God. But I thank God, God did not just demand separation of Abram. God gave Abram three wonderful promises. He gave him the promise of land. He gave him the promise of seed, which meant that he was to be the father of a great nation of people. And he gave him the promise of the seed of the Messiah, which meant the Savior was to come through the godly line of his descendants. What an honor. I tell you, would Abram obey God? Did he even believe God? You know, he would not obey unless He first of all believed the promises of God. And in order to believe anything, whoever you are, you've got to believe in the promises of God. And so Abram was willing to pay the price. He was willing to leave and forsake every bit of his family to totally separate himself and to follow after God and his promises. And so I thank God, as we look, God promised that he would give Abraham that promised land. And so The Hebrew here actually tells and says that God will show him the land, but in Genesis chapter 12, that I'm fixing to put up on the screen, tells us that God was actually promising the land to Abraham. What land? Well, God did not say. What? You said what? Yeah, that's right. God, when he made the promise to Abraham, he never told him what land. Uh-uh, no. He did not identify the land. Note, because the land was only promised, it lay out in the future and it was not to be immediately possessed. The land was just what believers have called it for centuries, the promised land. And it was to be the great hope of Abram. This was the reason that the land of Canaan is referred to as the land of promise. And all Abram had to do was go on the promises of God, on what God had said. And so Abram had to step out in faith and believe God's word and his promise about the promised land. You know, I think God, the promised land definitely refers to Palestine, the land of Israel. And it's clearly stated by God time and time again as well. And so as we put up the scripture out of Genesis chapter 12 verse 7, the Bible says, and the Lord appeared unto Abram and said unto thy seed, will I give this land? And thou builded he an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. As tonight we talk about the Abraham's four altars a man This would be one of the very first ones the confirmation of faith God reassured his promises both for the promised seed and the promised land and Abram needed God And I thank God to meet him face to face And so there was a strong opposition to his claim of the promised land Abram did not know what he wanted to do and so he needed God's presence and direction and guidance a man And so Abram needed that assurance to be able to move on. And so I thank God, Abram's response made the decision for God to continue his following after God. And his promises note that he built an altar to the Lord, who had basically appeared to him in Genesis chapter 12, verse eight, eight, man, that it talks about. And I'm going to read about that in a few minutes, but that altar had at least seven purposes for building it. And I'm going to talk about a couple things about that altar before I get more into the word. But to offer sacrifices to God was one of those seven purposes, amen. Asking forgiveness for unbelief and sins. The second thing was to make a rededication to God. To renew his commitment to God. also to seek God's continued presence and guidance, amen, to worship the Lord, to acknowledge the Lord, to praise the Lord, amen, and to testify to the Lord. Those were the seven purposes for having an altar in his life. I remember when I lived over here off of, behind Johnny Mitchell's over here on Pettit Creek Road, amen, I thank God over here. I formed over there for a few years, and as I was over there, I had me a rock altar down there by Pettit Creek. I'd go down there several times, the ducks and everything was out and about, and I'd just let her rip, amen. I'd praise God, I'd lift up the mighty name of Jesus on that rock altar, hallelujah, and I thank God there ain't nothing like getting down in a family altar, amen. And so Abram moved on and he continued his pilgrimage, but he built an altar to the Lord wherever he went, amen. And I thank God, Abram built an altar between Bethel and Ai, the very next place that he went. But I thank God, let me stop a little bit before I get too far ahead of myself, amen. And so I thank God. I thank God every time Abraham went somewhere, he built an altar. That's why I call it Abraham's four altars. Because of all the places that he went, he built him an altar, Amen. And so I thank God, first Abraham, he would arrive at a place. Second, he recognized God's presence. Third, he raised an altar as a testimony to God's claim upon that place and on those who should ever after live there because he made it known that that was the altar of the Lord that he had built, amen. And so he passed on to other places eventually, but the altars always remained, amen. And so I thank God as we look and realize as this text introduces two men who began a journey together, you know. They basically had a common goal, and unfortunately they were separated from one another. One climbed a mountain to a place where the atmosphere was clean and pure, and where the vision was unlimited. His companion descended into the plains of Sodom, where opportunities for a successful business career appeared to be excellent. The land was productive, cattle were fat, Laughter echoed from the nearby city, and Sodom was an attractive place for people that had plenty of water there. Even poor folk could become rich if they were willing to destroy their souls. And you know what? That's sad that Lot would go that far. Abram and his nephew looked at the well-watered plains of Sodom, but increasing strife necessitated a separation of those two men. Now thank God, As the Bible tells us in Genesis chapter 13, verses 10 through 12, that Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plains of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere. And then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated themselves, the one from the other, and Abraham dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent towards Sodom. You know, one detail explains the difference between these two men. Abram loved to erect altars and build them, and Lot did not. You know, altars in biblical times, one of the things about that is that the Hebrew word for altar is mispia, which is from the verbal root word meaning to slaughter. with a view to sacrifice. The altars were mainly built of stone, and they were not to be trimmed by chisels. You say, how do you know that? Read your Bible. Exodus chapter 20, verses 24, 25, and 26. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto thee, and thou shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, thy oxen, and all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou will make me an altar of stone, Thou shalt not build it of used stone, for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shall thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be discovered thereon." And so this altar was mainly to be built of stone and it was not to be trimmed out by chisels, amen. The rabbis explained that the altar was for giving and that the iron chisels was for punishing. And so that's why it was forbidden, even as the book of Exodus tells us. And so it was, the altar was to be natural, not to be tampered with by men. And the Mesopotamia area where Abram was from, the altar was considered to be the table of the gods. The blood of the animals was used in a minor way. In an ordinary sacrifice, no part of the victim was burnt on the altar, amen. To ward off demons or sickness, animals or a model of an animal made of reeds, mud and paste was mutilated by a priest on an altar. The model acted as a substitute and they believed that the demons would vent their anger against the substitute and not towards them. Now, I tell you, as the Mesopotamians had a custom known as the substitute king, each year at the New Year's feast, a man was chosen to take the place of a king and to be put to death. The purpose was to ensure a renewal of life for the king and a prosperity for the kingdom. If a dangerous omen was seen like an eclipse of the sun or moon, a substitute for the king exercised royal power to ward off danger from the real king and draw any possible danger toward himself. The reign of the substitute king would last about 100 days after the 100-day reign. This substitute would sometimes be put to death. And when viewing the book of Genesis, you'll find altars were constructed by Noah in Genesis chapter 8 verse 20. Abraham had three different places that we'll look at as well that he built altars, amen. I thank God. Isaac had Genesis 26-25 and Jacob built an altar in Genesis 33-20 and Genesis 35 verse 7, amen. Living between the house of God and the heap of ruins, amen. Abraham was leaving his mark in the land of God that had sent him to and the altars were a testimony to the Cainites of his love and devotion to the Lord. But the next altar that was built was between Bethel and Ai. Bethel means house of God and Ai means heap of ruins. And so I thank God Ai is formed from the root of Ava, which means to sin, subvert, and bend. Bethel is a type of our new nature in Christ and Ai is a type of our old sinful nature. We spend a lot of our time battling and pulling the two natures a lot of times. The spiritual man and the natural man is battling. But I thank God Every one of us, as we look at our spiritual life tonight and Abraham's four altars, amen. We realize that each and every one of us have a great opportunity tonight to learn a little bit more about the altars, amen. And so Abram looked toward heaven, Lot looked toward the cities of the plain. You know, I thank God every one of us as we look and realize tonight as we get right into this, Abraham built four altars that represented stages of spiritual growth. Number one, the altar of conversion. How wonderful because it was a place of pardon that in Genesis chapter 12 verses 1 and 2, amen, here we see that the Bible says that the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. Amen." Well I thank God, here we look and realize and we see that Abram believed and he obeyed God that much that God would do these very special things for him, amen. God promised to give Abraham the promised land. God promised to give Abraham the promised seed, meaning a great nation of people. And God promised to give Abram the promised seed, meaning the Messiah, the Savior of the world, amen. And so Abraham erected his first altar in the plain of Moreh. which was the culmination of a long journey from Ur of the Chaldees, where he first started out a man. I thank God, as far as known, he never had any inclination earlier to erect any kind of altar whatsoever. His father, Terra, worshipped idols and it was extremely unlikely that any other religion was permitted to interfere with that practice according to Joshua 24 2. Now Abram would have been a loyal son subject to the authority of his parent but then in some unrevealed way God spoke to him and everything changed the son of Terah for the rest of his life, Abe man. And so this is the reason to believe that in the estimation of his neighbors, Abram was exceptionally foolish, Abe man. When he tried to explain the reason for his departure into the desert, his answers were not conclusive, Abe man. He had heard a voice calling him, but he had no knowledge of the one who called him. He did not know where he was going or what he would do when he reached his destination. Had he become insane? You know, I mean, that's the thing. Nevertheless, Abram obeyed the whisper that troubled his soul. And he reached his destination, amen. And it aroused his conscience. Centuries later, wise men followed a star to find the infant Christ. Abram had no such guide. He went in faith. Amen? He went in faith. I thank God, Hebrews 11.10 says, for he looked for a city which hath foundation, who builder and maker is God. And so Terah, Abram's father, accompanied his son on the journey from Ur and was probably a great hindrance to everybody. And when he reached Teran, the center of the moon worship, he decided to stay there. Many years later, Abram reached Canaan and the long trek through sandy wastes and hazardous, difficult terrain, He reached the promised land, and I thank God, arriving in the plains of Mamre. Erected the very first altar a man after the one that he started out with in earth before he left You see there's three scriptures, but you have to count the one that when he started out, that's the fourth one So the very first one was an altar of conversion how wonderful it was. It was the place of pardon You see he still was like a new Christian that really didn't understand everything He heard the word of the Lord, but he had no idea he went in faith a man not knowing what land it would be, but on a promise for the future of land was what he went out and made. And so I thank God we see that second one, excuse me, back up, that second one was an altar of communion that shows how wise, because it was the place of prayer according to Genesis chapter 12 verses 8, 9, and 10. The Bible says in verse 8 in Genesis 12, and he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar unto the Lord, and he called unto the name of the Lord, Abraham. You know, I thank God when Abraham knelt at his first altar, God met with him. At his second altar, he prayed. Notice that. The first one that he started out with, the altar of conversion, how wonderful it was, it was a place of pardon. And I thank God, here, that first altar, God met with him. But on this second altar, he prayed, and it became a daily custom in his life. I tell you, he had lived many years without knowing the Lord, and now he planned to meet with him every day at that altar. Abraham enjoyed being with Jehovah. To listen to his voice was to hear the music of another world. The patriarch was always safe when he lingered near the altar of Jehovah. Amen. Boy, I tell you, if you ain't been hitting the altar in your home, If you need to rebuild that altar, if you need to clean it off, there is so much to pray about for this nation, for the upcoming election, for everything that's happening in America today. You need to get the altar back in the house that you live in. Now thank God it's not just in the church house. There ought to be an altar, a place, a prayer closet that you go to When you need to get down and call out to the name of Jesus, amen There's never a famine in the land and when God and his servants were all together, amen I thank God if we look on into Genesis chapter 12 verses 9 and 10 The Bible says that Abram journey going on still toward the south in verse 10 of Genesis 12 And there was a famine in the land and Abram Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was grievous in the land. You know, during his sojourn in Egypt, he never had an altar. He had no fellowship with God during that time. His faith was shattered, memories haunted his soul, and he was an unhappy man. Eventually, when his life was threatened, he regretted his mistakes, and he did his uttermost to correct the situation. Amen. Because in Genesis chapter 13, verses 1 through 4, the Bible says, And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and lot with him into the south. And Abram was very rich in cow, and silver, and in gold. and it went on his journey from the south even to Bethel under the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Ai, under the place of the altar which he had made there at first, and there Abraham called on the name of the Lord." You know, it's always wise to pray, but it's particularly important to do so when guilt harasses your soul, way man. It's written that on both occasions when Abraham visited the altar at Bethel that he called upon the name of the Lord and his problems were solved. You know, I remember reading a story about a small child that finished her prayer saying, goodbye dear Lord, we're moving to New York. It has been nice knowing you. Amen. You know, had Abraham or Abram been foolish, he might have finished his prayer in a similar fashion when he moved from the plain of Moreh to the mountain on the east of Bethel. Instead, the patriarch could have said with David, now thank God as we look and realize that in Psalms 139 verses 7, 8, 9, and 10, whether shall I go from my spirit, or whether shall I flee from thy presence. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there. If I take my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwelt in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." You know, it's wonderful to know that we can meet God at the altar, but it's better to meet Him there every single day of your life, especially when things are like they are right now. And so I thank God There was an altar of conversion, the place of pardon. There was an altar of communion, the place of prayer. But move on to that third one. There was the altar of covenant. And I tell you how worthwhile it was. It was a place of praise. Amen. The Bible tells us out of Genesis chapter 12, verses 8, chapter 13, verses 11 through 18. Sorry about that if I didn't put that up correctly up on there. But I thank God. The Bible says, and built there an altar unto the Lord. Amen. You know, I thank God, every one of us, as we look and realize how truly blessed that we are. It's interesting that at his third altar, Abraham never asked for anything. You know why? He had never been given anything. You know? And so I thank God in Genesis chapter 13, verses 8 and 9, Abraham said, In the lot, let there be no strife, I pray, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen. For we be brethren, is not the whole land before thee separate? Thyself I pray thee from me. If thou will take the left, then I will go to the right. Or if thou depart to the right, then I will go to the left. And it became increasingly evident that Abram, who lived close to his God, detested strife. You know, to the patriarch, it was more desirable to enjoy peace than riches. And his fellowship at the altar was spoiled by discord within his camp. Something had to be done quickly and he never expected God to do what his own responsibility was. There was no need to seek divine guidance. For the man who knelt at the altar was receptive to the suggestions made by the Spirit of God. You've got to listen to the Spirit when it begins to speak to you. Tranquility within the soul is impossible with forces that pollute the human sanctuary. but compromise with evil is never wise when it so strives to please God. Lot chose to seek fortune among the people of the plain, and God rewarded Abram by giving him far more than he could have acquired even had he lived for thousands of years. Amen. It was unnecessary to seek the guidance of God when the issue was a choice between good and evil. And so I thank God in Genesis chapter 13 verses 7 and 18, the Bible says, arise and walk through the land and the length of it and in the breadth of it for I will give it unto thee. And then Abram removed his tent. He came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron and built there an altar unto the Lord. And there was an Old Testament expression of a truth taught by the Savior, Matthew 633, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. It brings us to our fourth altar, I thank God, and that's the altar of consecration, the place of provision, amen. And I thank God in Genesis chapter 22, verse nine, and they came to the place where God had told him of. And Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. You know, as we look at this, an interesting progression of thought is found in these four altars that have been erected by Abraham. The first was a place of pardon. You know? The second was a place of prayer. The third was a place of praise. And the fourth was a place of provision. The path of complete surrender is never smooth. You know, sometimes it's difficult to appreciate the wisdom of God, you know, for, you know, His ideas are more comprehensive than ours. But, you know, it's devastating when Abraham was instructed to sacrifice Isaac. What wisdom could be found in such an act as this? It wanted to know how much Abraham loved him. more than anything else, amen. In Genesis 22, 3, the Bible says, And Abram rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass, and he took two of his young men with him. And Isaac and his son claimed the wood for the burnt offering, rose up, and went into the place of which God had told him. During that journey, The anxious father considered the promises of God, and he reached a thrilling conclusion. It was never safe nor wise to judge by appearances, amen. Jehovah had promised to bless the children of Isaac, and therefore Isaac could not die childless. And if the Lord permitted the boy to die, he would have to raise him from the dead or risk being called untruthful. And so the conclusion that Abraham came up with, and I thank God, In Genesis 22 5, abide ye here with the ass and I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again and come again to thee. That's the faith that Abraham had, eh, man? Well, I thank God. Many years later, the writer of the Hebrews said, by faith, Abraham, when he was tried and offered up Isaac, he that had received the promises offered his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called, accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure. So I thank God as we look and realize the inspired belief in the faithfulness of God brought Abraham victoriously through his greatest ordeal that he'd ever had. He believed Jehovah was wise, too wise to make mistakes, and too loving to be unkind. I thank God in Genesis 22 verses 10, 11, and 12, The Bible says Abraham stretched forth his hand, took the knife to slay his son, and the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, here am I. And he said, lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thy only son, from me. You know, the relieved father turned to see a ram caught by his horns in the nearby thicket. And he knew the Lord again had demonstrated his loving kindness. Abraham lived close to his altars. As the psalmist said, he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. And so the patriarch earned the right to be called the friend of God. I hope and pray that as wherever you go on the job that you build an altar spiritually, that you've got an altar on the job, you've got an altar in your automobile, you've got an altar in your house, and wherever else you need to put an altar. Because wherever that altar is at, you can fellowship and commune with God, and you can have a great relationship. The altar of conversion. the altar of communion, the altar of covenant, and the altar of consecration. God will provide the altar, and he will listen and hear you call his name if you'll just do so. I thank God. Abraham's four altars. Father, we praise you and thank you for the message tonight, and we pray, God, that someone tonight will be considering getting back down on their knees and open it up and dusting off the family altar that's in their home. And Lord, receive the greatest blessing and guidance and direction from a heavenly father that loves them more than anyone else. We praise you tonight and thank you for this great opportunity to speak from your word in Jesus' marvelous mighty name. Amen. God bless you tonight.