Instructions For The Journey

Introduction: The Christian life has been called many things: some have called it a school and God is the instructor. But to some the Christian life is a journey and the city who’s builder and maker is God is the destination. The idea of the Christian life being a journey is exemplified in the life of Abraham. We find that God tells Abram to leave his hometown, home and family and go to a land that God would show him. In chapter 12 verse 4, we see that by faith Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him.

Is your faith strong enough to leave the familiar and go to that which God has called you to?

I would like to tell you this journey is an easy and fun but it is not. A song-writer said it best; It’s an uphill journey and you got to keep climbing all the time. And sometime within this journey, we find ourselves at place of decisions, and this is where we find Abram is in verse 8. In this verse, Abram teaches us what to do when we are at a point of decision. There are 3 things to do in the text:

1. We must stop. “set up camp”. When it is time to make a decision while on this journey we need to stop and see where we are.

A. Bethel means house of God. This city represents where God is and wants you to be.

B. Ai means heap of ruins. This city represents the way of the world. Heap=to place in a pile,

ruin-the remains of something destroyed and decayed

C. Which city do you want to go to? Only you can decide.

2. We must sacrifice. “he built an altar”. The altar was a place to offer sacrifice to God. When we are at a point of decision for which way we will go on the journey, there are some things we need to sacrifice on the altar before God. They are:

A. Attitude-The way I feel things should go or be. Isaiah said “God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts”. How can we tell God what to do?

B. Ambitions-Wanting to be used by God so that it brings us attention and an audience. Matthew 5:16 says “Let your light so shine that men see your good works and glorifies the Father”. When you do something in church, who’s glory is it for? God’s or yours.

3. We must serve. “and worshiped the Lord”, Abram after stopping and sacrificing began to worship and praise the Lord. Even though God had not spoke, Abram was worshiping on credit. He knew that God had not brought him this far to leave him. I know you have a decision to make, but praise the Lord. I knew you are between a blessing (Bethel) and a burden (Ai), but praise the Lord. I know you got bills to pay, but praise the Lord. I know life gets tough and you don’t know what to do, worship the Lord.

Conclusion: God has called us on this journey of faith, and he has given us instructions for the journey when we are at the crossroads. They are:Stop and see where you are, sacrifice by giving up your attitude and ambitions, finally you should serve the Lord by worshipping Him for what He has done and will do. Throughout the journey we need to take this stops to refocus, revive, and redirect ourselves in the way God will have us to go.