Don't Hew the Altar I

Monday 4 May
READ: Ex. 20:25-26 (NIV)
MORE LESSON: Gal. 4:22 -23

If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. And do not go up to my altar on steps, lest your nakedness be exposed on it: Ex 20:25-26 (NIV). This scripture can be used to illustrate a vital truth in life and ministry. God says if you want to serve Him you should build an altar. Your altar is the place of communing, walking and receiving from God. But God also says here that you should not build an altar for Him by cutting, hewing or dressing the altar with the use of tools.

The tools denote the human element. Many claim that they want to receive from God's altar but they try to 'help' God's altar by using human means. This is not to suggest that man has no part to play in walking with and receiving from God, but to let you know that any ungodly act or effort that is not from the Holy Spirit defiles the altar of receiving from God. How do you explain someone trusting and earnestly praying to God for a job and still lobbying and bribing to get a job. Many parents pay money for their children to pass exams or get admission and then 'add' prayer to it. The Bible says if you want to build an altar for God, do not use your human effort to dress the stones by your tools. Let it be built with un-hewn stones.

God had promised Abraham a son and after many years of waiting, he and his wife decided to 'help' God to get the promise. They began to hew the altar by their human strength. This brought about Ishmael who became a problem to them and everyone around him (Gen 16: 12). Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman, But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise: Gal. 4:22-23. Whenever you use human ability or lobby to get that which the Lord has promised, what you have is after the flesh, but that which God gives is after the Spirit. When you use human effort (the flesh) to obtain the promise, what you have is not from the Spirit, it is from the flesh, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit: John 3:6.

Whatever God has promised you - prosperity, promotion, success, distinction, greatness, marriage, children or fruitfulness- it does not only matter that you get them, how you get them also matters to God. Make sure it is God that gives them to you and not ungodly human effort. Do not hew the altar with human tools. Do not 'help' God with ungodly efforts.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you wait on Him in complete trust for your miracle.
* Renounce every ungodly human act and effort that defile your altar.
* Pray that God will strengthen your faith as you wait on Him.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
In the name of Jesus, this month I receive speed and direction to make up for every delay and loss.