simple rebuilding the altar.

Be prepared. Very long post ahead.

Every Sunday, or at least every Sunday, Aimee and I go to C4Charlotte. 

(This is like a YoungLife for those at home).

Anyways when we go, the service is started off by singing a couple of amazing, inspiring songs then followed by a sermon that is an "eyeopener", and ending the night with a couple more of the inspirational songs and an invitation to the altar.

This week the sermon was about Rebuilding the Altar. This sermon was so inspirational that I wanted to share it with you blogger world. 

So A'hab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Car'mel. Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Ba'al's prophets number four hundred fifty. Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God." All the people answered, "Well spoken!" Then Elijah said to the prophets of Ba'al, "Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it." So they took the bull that was given to them, prepared it, and called on the name of Ba'al from morning until noon, crying, "O Ba'al, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud! Surely he is god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he us on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response. Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come closer to me"; and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the Lord that been thrown down; Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name"; with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." Then he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it a second time. Again he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did a third time, so that the water ran all around the altar, and filled the trench also with water. At the time of offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The Lord indeed is God; The Lord is indeed is God."

1 Kings 18:20-39

This story explains that the Lord is the way to Heaven and to be reborn spiritually. These people did not understand that fully. They had to rebuild their altar and ask for God's spirit to re-baptize them. The water was symbolic of God's spirit. Also, God is going to baptize you with the fire and the Spirit. This gives you the power to overcome the enemy. As Elijah took twelve stones to rebuild the altar, there are twelve tribes that helps with the way of life and helps us rebuild the altar.

1) Rueben. This is where you recognize who your friends are and who you surround yourself with. you want to surround yourself with people that build you up.

2) Simeon. The music and what we hear on a daily basis does affect our life. The subliminal messages that are in the songs that we listen to today affect us and our life to a major degree.

3) Levi. To simply put this, sexual relationships outside of marriage only steals your purity.

4) Judah. You want to worship and bless your creator. Always try to draw close to God. Worship is everything, not just singing a couple of sings. Worship is your lifestyle. 

5) Dan. God is the judge of all people, not us. Don't judge others by their lifestyle and their problems.

6) Naphtali. You want to have such a strong relationship with the Lord that you don't want to lose him.

7) Gad. When things are going great for you, be glad that they are. Thank the Lord and worship him for it.

8) Asher. Find happiness in the Lord, even on your lowest days.

9) Issachar. You want to love your job, even on the days that you are having a bad day there.

10) Zebulun. Don't place all your focus on the material things in life. Dwell in the presence of God.

11) Joseph. Give all of your dreams to the Lord. Don't plan out your life. Give your past, present, and future to the Lord.

12) Benjamin. Know who is the Son of the Right Hand. Worship him and praise him daily.