HISTORY AS WE KNOW IT STARTED WITH A MAN CALLED ABRAM *FATHER OF BILLIONS* HEBREWS, MOHAMODENS, CHRISTIANS

• All previous dispensations - Innocence, Conscience, Authority - failed
• Now God begins a new one, based on His grace giving promises to men, God now looks to bless
• If you were the God of all Glory, how would you choose the one upon whom you would bestow the glories of your blessings- both in this world and in all eternity?

I. GOD CALLS, BUT ABRAM SHOWS INCOMPLETE FAITH

We need to realize that from here on, any good things showed to man come from God's Grace

A. GOD CALLS UPON A MAN FROM UR OF THE CHALDEES 11:28- 

• In 1926, Dr. Woodley of the University of Pennsylvania dug up Ur- Found a gold dagger, king, queen, record found of sale of a camel to Abram
• God used what we would call a small town to preserve at least one man God could bless
• But in Abram's time it was the center of civilization- seaport for fertile Euphrates

B. BUT ABRAM SPENT YEARS OF INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE TO GOD, IN HARAN 11:31

• When God says "Get thee out!" 12:1b we ought to know He means it - told to Terah 31b,c
• Abram failed to obey God completely, and we today try to hang on to two worlds
• II Cor 6:17 deals for us not in lands and territory, but in spiritual truths

C. AND TERAH DIED IN HARAN 11:32 PERHAPS GOD'S FIRST CALL WAS TO TERAH- BUT HE WENT ONLY TO HARAN

• Haran was at the top of the Fertile Crescent- halfway to Canaan- many people go to halfway house
• When something, or someone, ties us down from God's will, God may have to cut us off
• So 12:4 Abram departed- but when God wants us to move, we move or leave gravestones

God has so much promise for us today, if we would but claim them in faith

II. GOD MADE HIS PROMISES UNCONDITIONAL 12:1-3, 13:14-18

Notice that "The Lord had said" - this was way back in Ur, no further record until in Canaan

A. GOD INSTITUTES THE DISPENSATION OF THE PROMISE Gen 12:1-3  THIS IS STILL IN EFFECT

• He promised to Abram that He would make of him a great nation- (and he was old and childless)
• He promised to Abram that he would bless him- make his name great, and make him a blessing
• He promised that all who blessed Abram would be blessed, and all who cursed him would be cursed

B. NOTICE THAT THERE IS A CONDITION TO ALL THIS BLESSING * IT IS TIED TO THE LAND - CANAAN v.1

• To have a blessing - Abram must go to, and remain in the land God set up for him- Remember AM
• Ours is a similar promise, but not tied to a piece of property, rather to an attitude - love
• When we love the Lord we are blessed; when we love the world we are under a curse-

C. WHEN ABRAM ARRIVED IN THE LAND, GOD GAVE HIM THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT 13:14-18

• Notice here that this was after he moved into the land- God spoke again 13:12
• When we live where God can bless us, He delights in pouring out His blessing on us
• He promised Abram the land forever- and that his seed would be as dust of the earth- 15:5 as stars

Don't think for a moment that Abram was a spiritual giant - look and see; he, too, was a man!

III. WHEREVER ABRAM PITCHED HIS TENT HE BUILT AN ALTAR!

The rest of the life of this man was involved in tents and altars- to live and worship

A. THE LORD APPEARED UNTO ABRAM, IN THE PLAIN OF MOREH 12:6-7

• God told Abram again that He would give this land to him- by what authority?  Creation!
• He built an altar to the Lord- there have been such found, one now in museum at Jerusalem
• Abram lived in a tent- seeking the city God had promised, but never quite finding it- but worship

B. ABRAM WHEN HE PITCHED HIS TENT BETWEEN BETHEL AND MAI AGAIN BUILT AN ALTAR 12:8b

• The altar told all who saw it that here was a person who worshipped the Lord- who knows of you?
• Here is a sacred place- about 12 miles north of Jerusalem- Bethel means house of God
• This altar was built unto the Lord- what have you done for the Lord- building? Teaching?

C. AND ABRAM CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD 12:8c

• Here is the first reference to an outward worship in calling upon the name of the Lord-
• The name given here is Jehovah (LORD) and it is the same name- Joshua, Jesus - our own Lord
• The Bible 2,000 years later states Acts 2:21 "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" - and this theme is echoed throughout the scriptures and history

WOULD YOU QUALIFY ALONG WITH ABRAM AS A MAN OF FAITH?

• He did nothing truly outstanding, except (illegible) and followed Him
• We need people today who will do likewise, (illegible) do, God still blesses
• Will you build an altar in your heart to the Lord?