Build Your Altar

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Download 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:19.759 the uns stapp and use the code I heeart fifty 0:01:19.760 --> 0:01:21.880 at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus when 0:01:21.880 --> 0:01:24.360 you find your account. That's code iHeart fifty when you 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:27.959 sign up at unest dot co for a fifty dollars bonus. 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:30.120 See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:33.400 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:33.480 --> 0:01:36.480 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:36.520 --> 0:01:39.440 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:01:39.480 --> 0:01:41.640 be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 0:01:41.760 --> 0:01:45.080 appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your line. 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:49.520 God bless you. 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:52.320 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:01:52.320 --> 0:01:54.800 you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 0:01:54.880 --> 0:01:58.960 daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:01.600 come visit us in We'd love to have you be 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:04.360 a part of one of our services. I like to 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:07.960 start with something funny, and I heard about these elderly women. 0:02:08.360 --> 0:02:10.800 They were in their late eighties, and they were driving 0:02:10.840 --> 0:02:14.200 down the freeway together when they were pulled over by policemen. 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:17.639 The officer asked the driver, ma'am, do you realize you're 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:21.120 only going thirty five miles an hour? She said, yes, Officer, 0:02:21.200 --> 0:02:23.560 I realize that. He said, well, why are you going 0:02:23.600 --> 0:02:26.760 so slow? She said, because that's what the sign says. 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:29.640 He kind of laughed and said, no, ma'am, that's the 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:30.799 number of the freeway. 0:02:31.280 --> 0:02:32.880 This is Highway thirty five. 0:02:33.280 --> 0:02:35.639 And by the way, why do these other passengers look 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:39.360 so terrified. She smiled and said, because we just got 0:02:39.360 --> 0:02:43.360 off Highway ninety five, saying like you mean it. 0:02:43.760 --> 0:02:46.760 This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:49.639 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:49.720 --> 0:02:52.360 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:56.320 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:56.400 --> 0:02:59.640 is alert, my heart is recepted. I will never be 0:02:59.720 --> 0:03:04.760 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:04.760 --> 0:03:07.160 to talk to you today about build your altar. 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:08.840 We can all. 0:03:08.720 --> 0:03:12.399 Look back in life and see times where God made away. 0:03:12.560 --> 0:03:13.600 He protected us. 0:03:13.480 --> 0:03:17.000 From an accident, He sustained us in a slow time, 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:21.000 promoted us when we didn't deserve it, strengthened us when 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:24.600 we were weaker, brought us through that loss. Those weren't 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:28.440 lucky breaks. They weren't just a coincidence. That was the 0:03:28.520 --> 0:03:29.680 hand of God. 0:03:29.520 --> 0:03:32.320 Protecting you, healing you, favoring you. 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:36.800 In the Old Testament, when these things happened, the people 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:40.040 took time to build an altar to thank God for 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:40.760 what he had done. 0:03:41.520 --> 0:03:44.280 They would look back at those altars, and that was 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:45.480 fuel for their faith. 0:03:46.000 --> 0:03:48.680 They knew He did it back then, he would do 0:03:48.720 --> 0:03:52.640 it again today. We should still be building altars. 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:53.880 It's easy to. 0:03:53.840 --> 0:03:56.920 Take things for granted and get so busy that we 0:03:56.960 --> 0:04:01.839 don't recognize the blessing of God. Take time to acknowledge 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:05.280 what God has done. You realize he brought you through 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:08.880 the pandemic. Some people didn't make it. He gave you 0:04:08.960 --> 0:04:11.680 that person to love. You were at the right place 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:14.760 at the right time. He healed you when it didn't 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:17.839 look good. He opened that door. And now you're further 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:21.279 than you've ever imagined. When you paused to say, God, 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:25.159 I recognize this didn't happen on my own. This is 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.279 your goodness. Thank you for your favor, Thank you for 0:04:28.360 --> 0:04:31.920 your mercy. Lord I'm grateful for what you've done. That's 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:36.600 building an altar. God told the Israelites in Exodus chapter twenty, 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:41.279 build altars in the places where I remind you who 0:04:41.320 --> 0:04:43.600 I am, and I will bless you there. 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:47.120 God will bless you where you built altars. 0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:51.240 When you're always thanking God for what he's done, remembering 0:04:51.279 --> 0:04:54.640 his goodness, talking about how he's made ways where you 0:04:54.680 --> 0:04:58.760 didn't see a way. While you're thanking him, God says. 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:00.120 He will bless you. 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.000 You're there to express your gratitude, But when you're at 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:03.920 the altar. 0:05:03.839 --> 0:05:05.440 God says, I'll be good to you. 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:10.080 This begs the question, are we not being blessed because 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:14.159 we're not building altars? Are we not seeing favor because 0:05:14.200 --> 0:05:16.120 we're not acknowledging God's goodness? 0:05:17.000 --> 0:05:21.640 God said, build altars where I'll remind you who I am. 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.479 We all have these times where we know it was 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:27.640 the hand of God. That car on the freeway should 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:31.120 have hit you, but somehow, at the last second it missed. 0:05:31.600 --> 0:05:32.839 That wasn't a lucky break. 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:36.880 Those were angels assigned to protect you. Take time to 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:40.839 build an altar. That contract at work should have gone. 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:44.160 To three other people. They had more experience they looked 0:05:44.200 --> 0:05:45.040 better on paper. 0:05:45.520 --> 0:05:48.880 But somehow you were chosen. That was the favor of 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:52.320 God causing you to stand out. Have you built your altar? 0:05:53.440 --> 0:05:55.880 I talked to a young couple. They were told that 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:59.719 they couldn't have children. She's taken all the fertility treatments, 0:06:00.160 --> 0:06:04.240 nothing more doctors could do. But seven years later, against 0:06:04.240 --> 0:06:07.320 all odds, they brought their baby boy. After the service, 0:06:08.240 --> 0:06:11.160 at those places where you see the hand of God, 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:13.080 what are you supposed to do? 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:16.400 Just take the blessing and move on. No, build an altar. 0:06:17.240 --> 0:06:20.640 Pause for a few minutes to say, God, I recognize 0:06:20.960 --> 0:06:23.560 this is your mighty hand at work. I give you 0:06:23.640 --> 0:06:27.200 the praise, I give you the honor. When you get 0:06:27.200 --> 0:06:30.400 in a habit of building altars, then you'll look back 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:33.000 over your life and see all these times where you 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:37.599 should have been stuck, depressed, defeated. But God stepped in 0:06:37.880 --> 0:06:40.800 and did what only he could do. As you see 0:06:40.839 --> 0:06:44.880 all these different altars, all the reminders of God's goodness, 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:47.919 that will not only encourage you that God can do 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:51.440 it again. But God says he will bless you at 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:54.560 the altars you build. He'll bless you as you go 0:06:54.680 --> 0:06:59.359 back and remember the good things he's done. Genesis chapter six. 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:02.400 God told Noah there was going to be a great flood. 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:05.080 He was to build an arc, a. 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:08.680 Large boat four hundred and fifty feet long, and to 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:11.760 take two of every kind of animals on it. The 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:16.000 floods came forty days forty nights. It rained, wiped out 0:07:16.040 --> 0:07:21.080 everything except Noah, his family, and those animals. For over 0:07:21.120 --> 0:07:24.440 a year, Noah was on the boat, cooped up with 0:07:24.480 --> 0:07:25.600 all the stinky. 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:27.760 Animals, smelly, noisy. 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:31.920 I'm sure he was tired and ready to get off. Finally, 0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:36.239 the waters receded. After three hundred and seventy seven days. 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:39.680 They opened the door to dry ground. Noah and his 0:07:39.760 --> 0:07:43.360 family walked out. What is the first thing you would 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:47.480 think Noah would want to do? Have a big party, celebration, 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:51.840 maybe go for a long walk, get away from everyone. 0:07:52.040 --> 0:07:55.680 The first thing Noah did was build an altar. He 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:59.480 took time to thank God that they made it. I 0:07:59.520 --> 0:08:02.600 can hear his children saying, Dad, we need to find food, 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:03.600 we need to. 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:04.360 Build a shelter. 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:09.000 There were no roads, no crops, no houses, so many 0:08:09.040 --> 0:08:12.120 important things to take care of, but Noah said, no, 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:15.320 the first thing we're going to do is thank God 0:08:15.400 --> 0:08:16.680 that He's spared our lives. 0:08:17.040 --> 0:08:19.000 We're going to build an altar and. 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:21.920 Thank God that we didn't drown, thank him for showing 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:27.120 us mercy, and thank him for his faithfulness. My prayer is, God, 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:30.320 help us to be like Noah when we see your favor, 0:08:30.960 --> 0:08:34.560 when you give us the victory, bring us through tough times, 0:08:34.840 --> 0:08:37.920 cause us to defeat giants. Let the first thing we 0:08:38.080 --> 0:08:42.439 do be build an altar. Let us recognize your goodness, 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:47.360 acknowledge your mercy. Noah took animals he had set aside 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:49.800 and sacrificed them on that altar. 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:52.239 When God smelled the aroma. 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:56.440 When he heard Noah giving him praise, the scripture says 0:08:56.760 --> 0:09:00.000 God promised that he would never flood the earth again. 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:03.559 There are times like with Noah. 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:06.680 When you build that altar, you thank God for what 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:09.800 he's brought you through. God will say you will never 0:09:10.120 --> 0:09:12.640 have to go through that again. He will put an 0:09:12.800 --> 0:09:16.320 end to what's hindered you get in a habit of 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:19.800 building altars. Today, we don't have to do it physically 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:24.480 like they did. It's simply acknowledging God's goodness. It's taking 0:09:24.520 --> 0:09:27.360 time to say Lord, thank you for healing me from 0:09:27.360 --> 0:09:28.040 this sickness. 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:31.559 I know it wasn't just the medicine. God, You're the healer. 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:35.360 Thank you for turning my child around. Thank you for 0:09:35.400 --> 0:09:38.360 promoting me when I wasn't next in line. Thank you 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:42.120 for giving me beauty for these ashes. We went through 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:46.280 a two year battle to acquire the Compact Center. This 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:50.040 building was owned by the city. We needed ten council 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:53.480 members to vote for us. We had all ten, but 0:09:53.600 --> 0:09:56.559 two days before the main vote, one of our council 0:09:56.559 --> 0:09:58.480 members said he wasn't going to be there. 0:09:59.120 --> 0:10:00.959 He received so much pressure. 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.760 From the other side, and him not being there meant 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:06.680 that we were one short. But a day before the 0:10:06.760 --> 0:10:09.920 main vote, one of the council members that had been 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:14.040 against us for two years suddenly changed his mind and 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:15.439 decided to vote for us. 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:17.720 The vote was on a Wednesday morning. 0:10:18.040 --> 0:10:21.120 Victoria and myself and all of our team were there, 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:24.600 plus about one hundred people from Lakewood. We packed the 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:28.320 city council room. They went through the council members one 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.920 by one. Do you vote yes or no for Lakewood 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:35.240 having the Compact Center. My heart was beating so fast, 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:38.360 it's very dramatic. They came to the last man. 0:10:38.800 --> 0:10:42.640 We had nine. He paused seemed like five minutes. 0:10:43.080 --> 0:10:45.680 We were waiting and waiting. He finally looked up and 0:10:45.720 --> 0:10:48.600 smiled and said, yes, I vote for them. We got 0:10:48.640 --> 0:10:52.440 the building. When the meeting was over ten minutes later, 0:10:53.000 --> 0:10:55.560 we all went out on the steps of city Hall 0:10:55.920 --> 0:10:56.600 and began. 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:57.280 To thank God. 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.960 We didn't plan it, but we started singing praises, declaring 0:11:02.000 --> 0:11:04.760 the greatness of our God, thanking him that he made 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:06.480 a way where we didn't see away. 0:11:06.920 --> 0:11:09.440 It just came up out of us impromptu. 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:13.600 I'm sure people walking around downtown thought, what are these 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:14.240 people doing? 0:11:14.840 --> 0:11:16.760 Singing, shouting, celebrating. 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:21.960 Right, Noah, The first thing we did was build an altar. God, 0:11:22.080 --> 0:11:25.920 We recognize your hand of favor. You've opened a door 0:11:26.360 --> 0:11:29.520 we never dream would open. You've caused us to defeat 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:33.120 giants right there on the steps of city Hall. 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:34.559 We built that altar. 0:11:35.440 --> 0:11:39.040 You can build an altar wherever you are. Your car 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:42.280 can become an altar, Your office can be an altar. 0:11:42.679 --> 0:11:45.200 Walking in the park can become an altar. 0:11:45.600 --> 0:11:49.319 At the places that remind you who God is when 0:11:49.360 --> 0:11:52.080 he does things that only he can do. Don't just 0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:56.240 think war that was nice. Build an altar, acknowledge. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:59.400 His greatness, Thank him, for his favor. God will bless 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:01.200 you where you built altars. 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:05.719 In the Old Testament, when the people were facing difficulties, 0:12:06.240 --> 0:12:10.000 often they would start their prayers by reminding God who 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:12.280 he is and thanking him for what. 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:13.280 He had done. 0:12:13.400 --> 0:12:15.880 They would go back and look at their altars the 0:12:15.960 --> 0:12:18.280 times in the past where God had made away. 0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:21.240 This is what King Jehosaphat did. 0:12:22.000 --> 0:12:24.959 He and the people of Judah were surrounded by three 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:28.880 powerful armies. They were out numbered ten to one. He 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:32.280 called the people together. They met in the courtyard at 0:12:32.320 --> 0:12:35.560 their city hall. He looked up to the heavens and said, 0:12:35.600 --> 0:12:38.040 Oh Lord, you are powerful and mighty. 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:40.120 No one can stand against you. 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:44.040 Are you not the God that drove the inhabitants out 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:46.920 of this land? Are you not the God that gave 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:50.440 it to our ancestral Abraham? Are you not the God 0:12:50.480 --> 0:12:54.120 that provided this temple for us to worship in? They 0:12:54.200 --> 0:12:58.000 reminded God of all their past victories. They looked back 0:12:58.040 --> 0:13:01.559 at those altars they had built fueled their faith. They 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:04.319 knew God did it back then He would do it again. 0:13:05.320 --> 0:13:07.640 All of us have some of these? Am I not 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:08.880 the God's stories? 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:11.920 When you look back over your life, you need to 0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:15.360 remember what God has done. Am I not the God 0:13:15.440 --> 0:13:18.520 that brought you through the pandemic. Am I not the 0:13:18.559 --> 0:13:22.280 God that caused that contract to go through? Am I 0:13:22.360 --> 0:13:24.760 not the God that puts you at the right place 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:27.640 and you met your spouse. Am I not the God 0:13:27.679 --> 0:13:32.120 that turned that child around? Make sure you're building altars, 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:36.680 recognizing his favor, thanking him for his goodness. That's where 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:39.920 He's promised to bless you at the altars you built. 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.400 I'm celebrating a birthday today, as you know, and I 0:13:43.480 --> 0:13:45.160 finally made it to thirty nine. 0:13:45.440 --> 0:13:46.200 You know what I did. 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:49.840 You know what I did early this morning, long before 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:50.720 the sun rose. 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:54.200 I built an altar. God, Thank you for bringing me 0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:58.480 through another year. Thank you for giving me favor, opening. 0:13:58.120 --> 0:14:04.520 New doors in my family, keeping me healthy, still good looking. Lord, 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:08.640 Thank you for sustaining me. You didn't let my enemies 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:11.920 defeat me. I can say, like David, by this, I 0:14:12.000 --> 0:14:14.000 know the Lord is on my side. 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:16.000 My enemies could not take me out. 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:19.920 I look back over my life and see some other 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:22.960 altars I built. Seven years old, I was in a 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:26.640 car accident and injured my hen By the grace of God, 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:29.080 I'm still here, just a little bit crazy. 0:14:30.240 --> 0:14:31.120 God helped me. 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.400 Survive being raised with my brother Paul. 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:34.640 Another great miracle. 0:14:35.360 --> 0:14:37.520 He caused me to walk into a jewelry store and 0:14:37.560 --> 0:14:41.359 meet beautiful, victorious bless me with two amazing children. 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:42.760 When my father passed. 0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:46.040 God gave me strength in the storm, help me to 0:14:46.120 --> 0:14:50.280 learn how to minister. Now when I face giants tempted 0:14:50.280 --> 0:14:53.480 to get discouraged, I can hear God saying, am I 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:56.600 not the God that gave you the compact center. Am 0:14:56.640 --> 0:14:59.960 I not the God to change that city council member's mind? 0:15:00.560 --> 0:15:02.760 Am I not the God that healed your mother of 0:15:02.880 --> 0:15:03.800 terminal cancer? 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.400 Am I not the God that pushed back that eighteen 0:15:07.400 --> 0:15:09.360 wheeler that was about to run over you? 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.560 Am I not the God that promoted you when you 0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:16.080 didn't feel qualified, that brought talent out that you didn't 0:15:16.080 --> 0:15:19.960 know you had. Look back over your life at all 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:22.960 these places where you should have altars, where God has 0:15:23.000 --> 0:15:26.720 done unusual, uncommon things. Don't take them for granted. 0:15:27.520 --> 0:15:30.000 Well, Joel, that's great that you're having a birthday, but hey, 0:15:30.000 --> 0:15:32.920 everybody has a birthday. It's really no big deal. No, 0:15:33.160 --> 0:15:35.800 when you have the right perspective, it is a big deal. 0:15:36.360 --> 0:15:39.560 God gave you breath to breathe for another year. He 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:42.720 woke you up this morning. He told your heart to beat. 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:48.040 He's the one that sustained you. He's protected you from 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:52.000 things you know nothing about. The disappointment, the loss. It 0:15:52.080 --> 0:15:55.800 may not have been easy, but you're still standing, still healthy, 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:59.080 still blessed. If it had not been for the goodness 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:02.960 of God, where would you be. Sometimes you build an 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:05.920 altar simply for the fact that you're still here. 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:08.200 The enemy couldn't finish you off. 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:11.800 You may be up against some big obstacles, but God 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:14.520 is saying, am I not the God that parted the 0:16:14.560 --> 0:16:17.520 red seas. Am I not to God that closed the 0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:20.440 mouths of lions? Am I not the God that gave 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:23.880 Sarah a baby at ninety Am I not the God 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:27.320 that has brought you this far, that has protected you, 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:31.240 promoted you, favored you, made ways where you didn't see 0:16:31.280 --> 0:16:35.280 your way. When you look back at all those altars, 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:39.040 those places that remind you who God is, and you 0:16:39.200 --> 0:16:42.600 thank him for what he's done. God says He'll bless 0:16:42.640 --> 0:16:47.240 you at the altars you build. Don't miss out on favor, healing, 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:51.800 protection because you're not building any altars. Take time every 0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:55.120 day to thank God for what he's done. Recognize his 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:57.280 goodness in your life. 0:16:57.480 --> 0:16:58.640 Genesis, chapter twelve. 0:16:59.160 --> 0:17:02.120 God told Abra him that he was going to become 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:05.840 the father of many nations, that his descendants would own 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:08.520 all the land, that he was going to be blessed 0:17:08.800 --> 0:17:13.160 and become a great blessing. When Abraham heard this promise, 0:17:13.520 --> 0:17:17.480 verse eight says, he built an altar and worship the Lord. 0:17:18.280 --> 0:17:22.200 What's interesting is the promise hadn't come to pass. He 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:25.800 wasn't a father, His wife Sarah was still bearing and 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:29.520 didn't have any children. He wasn't greatly blessed. He didn't 0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:33.439 own any land. Yet he built an altar simply to 0:17:33.560 --> 0:17:35.600 thank God for what he promised. 0:17:36.600 --> 0:17:38.040 This is showing us a principle. 0:17:38.480 --> 0:17:41.400 Don't wait for the promise to come to pass, but 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:45.400 thank God in advance for what he said he would do. God, 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:48.159 you said, my children will be mighty in the land. 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:51.959 There may not be any sign of it. They're off course, 0:17:52.040 --> 0:17:53.240 running with the wrong crowd. 0:17:53.600 --> 0:17:57.359 Joel. When it becomes a reality, then I'll thank God. No, 0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:02.000 do like Abraham. Build your altar now, thank God before 0:18:02.040 --> 0:18:04.879 you see the promise. That's what faith is all about. 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:08.600 When God sees you at the altar. When he hears you. 0:18:08.640 --> 0:18:13.680 Thanking him, praising him, declaring his goodness, that's when angels 0:18:13.720 --> 0:18:14.240 go to work. 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:16.000 That's when doors will. 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:19.840 Open, healing will come, fever is released. Lord, you said 0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:22.760 I would lend and not borrow. You said my cup 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:25.680 would run over. You said I would have a bountiful year. 0:18:26.320 --> 0:18:27.240 That's the promise. 0:18:27.760 --> 0:18:31.200 Now build the altar. Lord, Thank you that you're my provider. 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:35.080 Thank you that you have supernatural increase. Lord, thank you 0:18:35.160 --> 0:18:38.880 that you take pleasure in prospering me. Or maybe you're 0:18:38.880 --> 0:18:42.000 dealing with an illness. God said he would restore health 0:18:42.040 --> 0:18:44.600 back into you. He said he would heal you of 0:18:44.680 --> 0:18:47.600 your wounds. Well, when I feel better, I'm gonna build 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:50.560 that altar. He'll build it now. That's what's going to 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:51.639 activate the healing. 0:18:52.400 --> 0:18:52.680 Lord. 0:18:52.760 --> 0:18:55.280 Thank you that I am healed. Thank you that I 0:18:55.359 --> 0:18:59.640 will run and not be weary. That strength, energy, vitality 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:00.679 flowing through me. 0:19:00.800 --> 0:19:01.320 Right now. 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:04.879 Abraham left that place where he built the altar and 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:08.360 traveled to a different area. By this time, he had 0:19:08.359 --> 0:19:11.840 become very blessed with cattle, silver, and gold. 0:19:12.359 --> 0:19:14.240 He was seeing the promise come to pass. 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:18.000 His nephew, Lot and all of his flocks were there 0:19:18.040 --> 0:19:21.280 with him, and the land couldn't support them both. He 0:19:21.400 --> 0:19:23.760 told Lot to choose where he wanted to go, and 0:19:23.920 --> 0:19:27.720 Abraham would relocate well. Lot chose the best part of 0:19:27.760 --> 0:19:30.879 the land, the place with plenty of springs and lush 0:19:31.000 --> 0:19:35.240 pastures looked like a garden. Abraham got stuck with just 0:19:35.320 --> 0:19:40.240 the opposite. His land was dry, barren, not nearly as desirable. 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:41.880 Didn't seem fair. 0:19:42.119 --> 0:19:45.159 Abraham should have gotten to choose, but he took the 0:19:45.240 --> 0:19:49.679 high road after this disappointment. After he was having to 0:19:49.720 --> 0:19:53.240 start over, God came to him and said, Abraham, look 0:19:53.280 --> 0:19:55.280 around for as far. 0:19:55.080 --> 0:19:57.600 As you can see. I'm going to give you that 0:19:57.760 --> 0:20:01.399 land for you and your descendants. What did Abraham do? 0:20:01.760 --> 0:20:04.720 The scripture says he built an altar to the Lord. 0:20:05.520 --> 0:20:09.320 Didn't have the land yet. He was discouraged coming off 0:20:09.320 --> 0:20:12.160 of disappointment, but he began to thank God for. 0:20:12.160 --> 0:20:15.520 What he promised. He knew the power of an altar. 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:18.840 They didn't wait for the fulfillment for the land to 0:20:18.880 --> 0:20:23.520 become theirs. They thanked God in advance. God has spoken 0:20:23.600 --> 0:20:26.960 promises to all of us. He's whispered things in your 0:20:27.000 --> 0:20:31.080 spirit that may seem impossible. How can you accomplish that dream, 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:34.680 How can you get well? How can your family be restored? 0:20:35.320 --> 0:20:38.359 You have the promise, Now do your part and build 0:20:38.400 --> 0:20:42.320 the altar. Thank God that is on the way. Remind 0:20:42.359 --> 0:20:45.120 him of his greatness. Go back over some of your 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:47.040 am I not the God's stories? 0:20:47.560 --> 0:20:48.480 Make them personal? 0:20:48.960 --> 0:20:51.520 Are you not the God that opened this door I 0:20:51.520 --> 0:20:54.800 couldn't open? Are you not the God that prospered me 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:58.119 despite how I was raised? Are you not the God 0:20:58.160 --> 0:21:01.080 that freed me from the addiction, that blessed me with 0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:04.600 a spouse, that protected me in the pandemic, to turn 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:07.960 my child around, that caused that contract to go through. 0:21:08.840 --> 0:21:11.840 When you look back at the altars you built, you 0:21:11.960 --> 0:21:15.080 thank God for what he's done. That's fuel for your faith, 0:21:15.560 --> 0:21:18.960 that makes it easier to build those altars, looking forward, 0:21:19.200 --> 0:21:23.119 thanking God for what He's about to do. Lakewood was 0:21:23.160 --> 0:21:26.760 started on Mother's Day in nineteen fifty nine. My parents 0:21:26.800 --> 0:21:30.160 were coming off a great disappointment. My father had been 0:21:30.200 --> 0:21:33.240 pastoring for many years when they asked him to lead 0:21:33.280 --> 0:21:36.479 the church. They didn't like his new message of faith 0:21:36.520 --> 0:21:41.080 and Victorian. My parents were so discouraged they felt the sting. 0:21:40.960 --> 0:21:43.080 Of rejection didn't seem fair. 0:21:43.840 --> 0:21:47.320 But God wouldn't have allowed the disappointment if he didn't. 0:21:47.040 --> 0:21:48.720 Have a purpose for it. 0:21:48.720 --> 0:21:51.119 It looked like a setback, but really it was a 0:21:51.200 --> 0:21:53.720 set up to move them into a new level of 0:21:53.760 --> 0:21:57.280 their destiny. There was a lady that owned an old 0:21:57.400 --> 0:21:58.600 Rundown feed store. 0:21:59.040 --> 0:22:01.400 She told my parents and they could use that little 0:22:01.400 --> 0:22:02.399 building for a church. 0:22:02.960 --> 0:22:06.440 That's where they started Lakewood, never knowing what God was 0:22:06.520 --> 0:22:10.320 up to. The truth is they had to be pushed out, 0:22:11.000 --> 0:22:13.240 They had to be asked to lead. It was a 0:22:13.280 --> 0:22:17.119 part of God's divine plan. And instead of being bitter, 0:22:17.640 --> 0:22:20.600 they built an altar. They said God, thank you for 0:22:20.680 --> 0:22:24.520 this little building, thank you for this opportunity. They never 0:22:24.640 --> 0:22:27.600 dreamed it would be what it is today. Well we 0:22:27.640 --> 0:22:30.800 look back now at that altar that was built sixty 0:22:30.800 --> 0:22:34.000 four years ago, and we can say, Lord, thank you 0:22:34.040 --> 0:22:38.920 for your faithfulness, Thank you for sustaining us. We recognize 0:22:39.119 --> 0:22:40.840 we have not done this on our own. 0:22:41.240 --> 0:22:42.600 This is your hand of blessing. 0:22:43.760 --> 0:22:47.360 When things get difficult, I can hear God's saying, am 0:22:47.400 --> 0:22:49.520 I not the God that gave you the feed store? 0:22:50.280 --> 0:22:52.960 Am I not the God that sustained you when people 0:22:53.000 --> 0:22:54.160 said it wouldn't last? 0:22:54.600 --> 0:22:57.159 Am I not the God that took the original ninety 0:22:57.200 --> 0:23:01.399 members and multiplied them into thousand. Am I not the 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:03.880 God that turned that disappointment into. 0:23:03.680 --> 0:23:06.879 A blessing that would take you into the compact center. 0:23:07.800 --> 0:23:10.879 When you remember what God has done, gives you faith 0:23:11.040 --> 0:23:13.679 to believe for the greater things He has in store. 0:23:14.840 --> 0:23:17.320 In the scripture, Jacob was dishonest. 0:23:17.840 --> 0:23:20.840 He tricked his father into giving him the blessing that 0:23:20.920 --> 0:23:23.320 belonged to his older brother Esau. 0:23:23.920 --> 0:23:25.320 He had already cheated. 0:23:25.119 --> 0:23:28.880 Esau out of his birthright. When Esau found out about this, 0:23:29.040 --> 0:23:31.919 he was furious. Jacob had to flee for his life. 0:23:32.400 --> 0:23:35.080 He went far away and worked for his uncle Laban, 0:23:35.680 --> 0:23:37.919 all the while in hiding hoping. 0:23:37.680 --> 0:23:39.040 That Esau wouldn't find out. 0:23:39.760 --> 0:23:43.719 Twenty years went by, Jacob wanted to return home. He 0:23:43.760 --> 0:23:46.880 didn't know what Esau would think, so he sent messengers 0:23:46.920 --> 0:23:49.040 to tell Esau that he wanted to see him. 0:23:49.320 --> 0:23:53.600 Esau agreed. Their two parties met on the road. It 0:23:53.720 --> 0:23:56.400 was this incredible moment, this drama. 0:23:57.160 --> 0:24:01.040 You can imagine how apprehensive Jacob was, thinking this may 0:24:01.040 --> 0:24:01.680 be the end. 0:24:02.080 --> 0:24:03.400 He may want revenge. 0:24:03.640 --> 0:24:06.520 He could wipe me and my whole family out. 0:24:06.560 --> 0:24:07.280 The big moment. 0:24:07.359 --> 0:24:12.080 Finally, arrived, Esau came up with four hundred men. I'm 0:24:12.080 --> 0:24:16.200 sure Jacob thought, oh great, a whole army. Esau walked over, 0:24:16.520 --> 0:24:18.880 reached out both arms and hugged Jacob. 0:24:19.359 --> 0:24:23.080 He kissed him. They both had tears running down their cheeks. 0:24:23.560 --> 0:24:28.000 Esau went and hugged Jacob's wives and their children. There 0:24:28.080 --> 0:24:32.520 was little Joseph, Jacob's young son, watching all this take place. 0:24:33.160 --> 0:24:36.439 He'd been so worried. He'd heard about the feud between 0:24:36.440 --> 0:24:40.679 his father and Esau. He was expecting the worst, but 0:24:40.760 --> 0:24:45.200 he saw his uncle Esau treat his father with such kindness. 0:24:45.720 --> 0:24:48.399 Esau told Jacob to follow him and he'd lead the 0:24:48.400 --> 0:24:53.720 way home. When Jacob arrived, the scripture says Jacob built 0:24:53.720 --> 0:24:58.240 an altar there and named it ll Oh, which means 0:24:58.320 --> 0:25:02.160 the Mighty God. Jacob didn't just take it for granted, 0:25:02.320 --> 0:25:04.040 think man, I got lucky, though. 0:25:04.080 --> 0:25:07.399 He built an altar and said, this was the Mighty God. 0:25:07.920 --> 0:25:11.920 This was something greater than I ever imagine. We all 0:25:11.920 --> 0:25:15.000 had these times. We can say, like Jacob, that was 0:25:15.040 --> 0:25:18.840 the Mighty God getting the compact center, the Mighty God 0:25:19.200 --> 0:25:22.679 healing my mother of cancer, the Mighty God freeing you 0:25:22.760 --> 0:25:26.439 from that addiction, the Mighty God turning your child around. 0:25:26.520 --> 0:25:30.119 The Mighty God. Yes, you may have some big challenges. 0:25:30.280 --> 0:25:31.119 Let me encourage you. 0:25:31.440 --> 0:25:34.640 The Mighty God is still at work. The Mighty God 0:25:34.760 --> 0:25:39.080 is still healing. The Mighty God is still parting red seas, 0:25:39.119 --> 0:25:44.280 still defeating giants, still raising Lazrath, still opening supernatural doors. 0:25:45.400 --> 0:25:46.560 Every morning, when. 0:25:46.480 --> 0:25:49.400 Little Joseph would go out, he would see that altar 0:25:49.680 --> 0:25:53.159 that his father built out of thanksgiving to God for 0:25:53.280 --> 0:25:58.359 resolving the conflict. Fast forward thirty years now, Joseph was 0:25:58.440 --> 0:26:02.040 second in command of all of Egypt, the great famine 0:26:02.040 --> 0:26:04.719 in the land. His brothers came to the palace to 0:26:04.760 --> 0:26:08.119 try to buy food. These were the same brothers that 0:26:08.440 --> 0:26:12.480 had thrown him into a pit thirteen years earlier, eventually 0:26:12.520 --> 0:26:15.320 sold him as a slave. The brothers that were so 0:26:15.520 --> 0:26:18.960 jealous that they betrayed him and made his life miserable. 0:26:19.800 --> 0:26:23.480 Now they were standing before Joseph, but they didn't recognize him. 0:26:24.000 --> 0:26:27.040 This was his big chance to get revenge. He can 0:26:27.119 --> 0:26:31.359 finally pay them back. But Joseph's mind went back to 0:26:31.440 --> 0:26:35.280 that scene where he saw his uncle forgive his father. 0:26:36.080 --> 0:26:39.840 He remembered the altar at their house, always out playing 0:26:39.960 --> 0:26:43.320 seeing it that said to him. Am I not the 0:26:43.359 --> 0:26:46.600 God that brought peace when you should have had conflict. 0:26:47.359 --> 0:26:50.080 Am I not the God that caused Esau to forgive 0:26:50.920 --> 0:26:53.359 Am I not the God that showed your father mercy 0:26:53.440 --> 0:26:56.959 for his mistakes, the God who gave him a second chance. 0:26:57.960 --> 0:27:00.120 Joseph could have gotten revenge. 0:27:00.440 --> 0:27:04.440 Instead, he treated his brothers like Esau treated his father. 0:27:05.040 --> 0:27:08.400 He forgave them, He was kind, He had them all 0:27:08.400 --> 0:27:12.600 come to Egypt and live with him. When you're constantly 0:27:12.640 --> 0:27:18.600 building altars, recognizing God's goodness, thanking him for what he's done, it's. 0:27:18.440 --> 0:27:23.000 Not just affecting you. It's affecting your children, your grandchildren. 0:27:23.840 --> 0:27:27.040 What if Jacob had not built that altar? What if 0:27:27.040 --> 0:27:27.440 he had thought? 0:27:27.480 --> 0:27:30.680 Man, I was just lucky Esau didn't destroy me. I'm 0:27:30.720 --> 0:27:33.840 glad he's in a good mood. Wouldn't be talking about Jacob, 0:27:34.240 --> 0:27:38.400 probably wouldn't be talking about Joseph. Are you missing blessings, 0:27:38.600 --> 0:27:43.199 favor breakthroughs because you're not building an altar? At the 0:27:43.280 --> 0:27:45.800 place you build an altar, God says he's going to 0:27:45.840 --> 0:27:49.480 bless you. My challenge to us is, let's build a 0:27:49.480 --> 0:27:52.840 lot of altars. Be aware of the goodness of God 0:27:52.880 --> 0:27:53.640 in your life. 0:27:53.840 --> 0:27:56.159 Take time every day to thank him. 0:27:56.640 --> 0:28:00.919 Look back at the great things He's done, where you 0:28:00.960 --> 0:28:03.840 saw the Mighty God at work doing what only he 0:28:03.880 --> 0:28:04.280 can do. 0:28:04.840 --> 0:28:07.400 Remember those. Am I not the God moments? 0:28:07.720 --> 0:28:10.480 Am I not the God that healed you, that freed you, 0:28:10.560 --> 0:28:12.560 that promoted you, that sustained you. 0:28:13.400 --> 0:28:14.520 If you'll build your. 0:28:14.359 --> 0:28:17.959 Altars, I believe and declare you're going to see the 0:28:18.080 --> 0:28:22.159 Mighty God do things you've never dreamed. Supernatural doors are 0:28:22.200 --> 0:28:27.960 about to open, healing, provision, restoration, the fullness of your 0:28:28.000 --> 0:28:32.159 destiny in Jesus' name, And if you receive it, can. 0:28:32.040 --> 0:28:32.760 You say amen? 0:28:34.440 --> 0:28:37.160 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:28:37.160 --> 0:28:38.200 the Lord of your life. 0:28:38.720 --> 0:28:42.280 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:28:42.400 --> 0:28:46.160 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:46.200 --> 0:28:47.680 you my Lord and savior. 0:28:48.440 --> 0:28:50.840 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:50.880 --> 0:28:51.520 born again. 0:28:52.080 --> 0:28:54.280 We love to send you some free information on your 0:28:54.280 --> 0:28:56.440 new walk with the Lord. You can text the number 0:28:56.480 --> 0:28:58.960 on the screen or go to the website, and I 0:28:59.000 --> 0:29:01.920 hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and 0:29:02.040 --> 0:29:05.440 keep God first place. Thanks so much for listening to 0:29:05.440 --> 0:29:06.560 today's message. 0:29:06.640 --> 0:29:09.440 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:09.480 --> 0:29:12.960 podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:13.120 --> 0:29:15.360 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:15.360 --> 0:29:18.800 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 0:29:18.920 --> 0:29:21.520 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:29:21.600 --> 0:29:22.120 us today. 0:29:22.400 --> 0:29:24.840 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:24.920 --> 0:29:27.720 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:29:27.800 --> 0:29:28.160 for you. 0:29:28.440 --> 0:29:31.200 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:31.280 --> 0:29:31.760 next time. 0:29:35.280 --> 0:29:37.800 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:37.840 --> 0:29:41.440 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:41.480 --> 0:29:44.560 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. Join 0:29:44.640 --> 0:29:47.640 nearly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled in 0:29:47.680 --> 0:29:50.600 the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped to 0:29:50.720 --> 0:29:53.080 help for a limited time. 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