16/01/2018 - THANKSGIVING ALTAR

• 
• 
• 
• 

Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Genesis 12:7

The Lord is not absent, but present and loving. He did not create the World to be a Paradise for people fallen in error, which steal, lie, deceive and work evil on their neighbors remaining without consequences.  Knowing that eternal perdition will be painful, He is patient and good to all, in order that they come to their senses and abandon the evil path.  If there is no repentance, He will have to cast them into the lake of fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).

The Almighty observed Abraham, as well as his fellow patriots and all the living throughout the entire world.  God saw him stand out from all the others, doing good and not given to idolatry or witchcraft.  The Hebrew patriarch constantly sought the Creator.  Therefore, the Lord called him to leave his land, his relatives and the house of his father and go to a place which would be shown to him.  He obeyed and set out without knowing where he would be led to.

When Abraham was in Canaan, the Almighty appeared to him and promised He would give that land to his seed.  If he had not listened to the Lord and stayed in Ur of the Chaldeans, certainly, God would not have killed him, however, for this failure, nothing else would have been revealed him.  He would have had a normal life, but on his death he would have seen that he had not enjoyed the wonderful things prepared for those who obey.

Now, he would not only be blessed, but his seed too. In like manner, when Jesus came, God’s promises became ours and of those who spiritually descend from us.  Our natural children must learn to be our spiritual sons and daughters.  If they are not born again, everything that we learned and received from the Father will not belong to them.  Lord, have mercy!

As soon as the Most High appeared to Abraham and said that the land would be of his descendant’s, he built an altar to God.  Every time that the Lord gives you the pleasure of leading a son to salvation, build an altar to God.  When this son is in trouble, cry out before the Almighty.  This is how we must serve Him, praying for those we had the privilege to lead to Him.

Do not ever build an altar to the “god” of sadness for the sake of a son who strayed down the crooked path.  Even before he understands the world around him, lead him to Christ and build an altar in praise and thanksgiving to God.  When, one day, he shows signs of being distracted from the path of life, go to that altar on his behalf and turn your heart out to the Omnipotent, holding back nothing, telling Him everything and following the instructions of the Word.

God will give the land where Jesus stepped, the power that He used and the grace that was over Him to you and your descendants.  We are the Master’s descendants, as our descendants are too, as long as we serve the Almighty.  Keep vigil, watch and pray that no one be lost, because if this should happen, you may be held responsible.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares