“STAY AT THE ALTAR!”

Genesis 12:1-12; 1 Corinthians 3:18-20; Isaiah 12:2

INTRODUCTION

You are safer in a pit in the will of The Lord than in a palace out of His Will.

The will of The Lord will never lead you where the grace of The Lord cannot keep you.   Warren Wiersbe

Symbolically, strategically, and spiritually, we can seek and find the will of The Lord at the altar of The Lord. When you abandon The Lord’s altar, you abandon The Lord’s will.  During the past few weeks, we have focused on worship.  Let’s continue to recognize and celebrate the purpose and power of worship. There is no substitute for genuine worship!  The quality of your personal and public worship will impact the Kingdom quality of your 2026.  Abraham’s mistakes can be our corrections.

When Abraham left the altar in Canaan to follow his own wisdom in Egypt (Genesis 12:10), his life changed – and NONE of the changes were good or Godly. When we leave the Lord’s altars in our hearts and minds to pursue our wisdom, we experience ungodly changes too!

When you abandon The Lord’s altar: 

YOU MOVE FROM TRUSTING TO SCHEMING. Genesis 12:12; 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

1. Unlike Canaan, Abraham did not have an altar in Egypt.
2. Abraham did not call on The Lord for help in Egypt.
3. As a result, he stooped to scheming and conniving.  Additionally, Abraham took his eyes off The Lord and focused on “They” instead of “Him”. 13
4. When you fail to worship The Lord, you can slip into scheming.

YOU MOVE FROM FAITH TO FEAR. Genesis 12:11

1. Abraham moved from “The Lord will” – Genesis 12:2,3 – to “They will” – 12:12
2. Faith and fear cannot co-exist. Mark 4:40
3. The fear of The Lord can conquer all other fears!    Isaiah 8:13; Isaiah 12:2
4. When you fear a person, any spirit of fear can control you.   Proverbs 29:25

YOU MOVE FROM BLESSINGS TO CURSES. Genesis 12:1-3; 17

1. The Lord called Abraham to be a blessing.
2. As a result of Abraham’s disobedience, judgment fell on Pharaoh and his household.
3. After Abraham repented, he “went up” out of Egypt. 13:1 Whenever you repent, you “go up”.
4. When you exercise rebellion, you ignite curses and explode blessings in your life.

Excerpts from The Wiersbe Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe

January 4, 2026 | 7:50 AM Worship Celebration

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