Where are the miracles II?

What about the altar? OK so; last time we talked about the altar and we explained the simple process. Simple? yes but a problem for ministers none the less. Alright go to the book of Exodus 20:22 where God gives the law of the altar to Moses. Yes that is where the problem comes in. The law is something that cannot change, God has made them so that we have something of surety in our lives to count on when all other things can go astray. For instance lets say that all of a sudden the law of gravity at your house was gone and the wind was blowing. Well you would be in trouble because everything you own and hold dear would be everywhere and where it would land only God would know. Funny but true, the gravity keeps things where they are supposed to be. The law of the altar also is something that will not change and should not change.

Alright as we look at the altar it is said that whatever touches the altar will be made clean (perfect, righteous, healed, fixed, etc). It says in Exodus that the altar is to be made the way that God stated it to be to Moses originally for the temple, but if it is to be made of stone (Jesus is the capstone and the cornerstone) it is not to be made of hewn stone. Hewn stone meaning made by your tools or talents, it states that if it is then the altar will be profaned (contaminated, imperfect, rejected etc). So what does that mean? It means that the altar must be perfect and remain perfect for God to accept it. The cross that is the final and perfect altar for us to lay our problems before and it is to remain just the way Jesus left it. Remember when I said a problem for ministers? Well the problem is that ministers like to try and enhance the altar times or project the concepts they have onto it. Preaching can ultimately effect the altar set up before God. If we don't leave the altar the way that Christ left it, then it will become ineffectual because of things projected on it that have never been designed to go there.

Don't understand? Well let me give you an example of an ineffectual altar call. I was at a church service where the minister was praying for a person (what he was praying for is irrelevant). In the process of the altar call the minister began talking about possible results from the prayer and why God does not heal and that sometimes he cannot heal. He continued to try and make it understood to the people that we should not have expectations of God that may not be with Gods will. This is the perfect example of a contaminated altar in several ways. First we bring an altar call before the people that has not been prayed for properly prior to. Second we don't require faith of the people coming to the altar by saying that we cannot have expectations that are too lofty of God. Third we make excuses for God on things that we don't understand and then it is misunderstood by the people that are in need of the miraculous. This causes confusion all the way around for the people watching and involved. Finally we are the focal point of the altar call instead of God being in His proper place as King. Wow we just hit on a perfect place to pause, think about how many ineffectual altar calls you have experienced and tell me why we don't have miracles in the church over here. Next time we will look at the four points here and explain each of them in detail. Well until next time keep praying for the power of God in your lives and be blessed.