08-02-2019, 02:45 PM
THE LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Friday, August 2, 2019
TOPIC: WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING - ALTAR OR MONUMENT?
Read Genesis 12:7-9
7. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
9. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
MEMORISE:
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)
EXPOSITION
It is not uncommon to find people doing things to immortalise themselves - writing of autobiographies, setting up foundations to meet specific societal needs, setting up the likes of orphanages, and surprisingly, some erect monuments for themselves while still living. King Saul did something similar, after his self-styled (but God-displeasing) victory over Amalek. In any case, he had conquered the enemies (1 Sam. 15:1-12), but instead of giving glory to God, he chose to set up a monument for himself at Carmel (v. 12), to immortalise himself rather than glorify God.
One would better understand the sin of King Saul, when what he did is compared with reactions of some others who had different encounters with Yahweh in the Scripture. Gen. 8:20 shows Noah building an altar unto Yahweh in commemoration of his encounter with Him. Abram did the same thing (Gen. 12:7,8; cf. 13:4,18; 22:9). Isaac obviously took after his father's faith (26:25).
Jacob didn't allow the chain to break with him (35:1,3,7). Moses inherited the good and godly habit (Exo. 17:15). David's divine encounter led him to build an altar unto the Lord (2 Sam. 24:21-25).
Surprisingly, even Saul himself had built altars unto the Lord in the past (1 Sam. 14:35), but the pride and love for the praise of men that took over him made him to misbehave.
What are you building? Some people have chosen to erect monuments in commemoration of the little encounters they had with the divine, instead of erecting and strengthening their altars of praise and sacrificial service. What you erect would determine what you get in the end.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Ask God to forgive you at those junctures that you have allowed the little spiritual breakthroughs you had, to run into your head.
2. Ask God to help you remain calmly and humbly focussed on Him, regardless of the spiritual height of success He chooses to take you to.
3. Pray for once power-demonstrating ministers of the gospel who have lost such graces due to the sin of not giving God the glory due His name.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Job 30:12 - 32:3; Acts 26:8 – 26:29
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!
Friday, August 2, 2019
TOPIC: WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING - ALTAR OR MONUMENT?
Read Genesis 12:7-9
7. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.
8. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
9. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
MEMORISE:
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)
EXPOSITION
It is not uncommon to find people doing things to immortalise themselves - writing of autobiographies, setting up foundations to meet specific societal needs, setting up the likes of orphanages, and surprisingly, some erect monuments for themselves while still living. King Saul did something similar, after his self-styled (but God-displeasing) victory over Amalek. In any case, he had conquered the enemies (1 Sam. 15:1-12), but instead of giving glory to God, he chose to set up a monument for himself at Carmel (v. 12), to immortalise himself rather than glorify God.
One would better understand the sin of King Saul, when what he did is compared with reactions of some others who had different encounters with Yahweh in the Scripture. Gen. 8:20 shows Noah building an altar unto Yahweh in commemoration of his encounter with Him. Abram did the same thing (Gen. 12:7,8; cf. 13:4,18; 22:9). Isaac obviously took after his father's faith (26:25).
Jacob didn't allow the chain to break with him (35:1,3,7). Moses inherited the good and godly habit (Exo. 17:15). David's divine encounter led him to build an altar unto the Lord (2 Sam. 24:21-25).
Surprisingly, even Saul himself had built altars unto the Lord in the past (1 Sam. 14:35), but the pride and love for the praise of men that took over him made him to misbehave.
What are you building? Some people have chosen to erect monuments in commemoration of the little encounters they had with the divine, instead of erecting and strengthening their altars of praise and sacrificial service. What you erect would determine what you get in the end.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Ask God to forgive you at those junctures that you have allowed the little spiritual breakthroughs you had, to run into your head.
2. Ask God to help you remain calmly and humbly focussed on Him, regardless of the spiritual height of success He chooses to take you to.
3. Pray for once power-demonstrating ministers of the gospel who have lost such graces due to the sin of not giving God the glory due His name.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Job 30:12 - 32:3; Acts 26:8 – 26:29
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!