TEXT:
Genesis 12:7 And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. (NASV)

INTRODUCTION:
God makes promises to your family just like He did to Abraham and his family. A promise is something that we are sure of. It’s something that works. For instance, a woman told of a method that works for getting her son up in the morning. She said, she would just open his door and pitch the cat in on his bed. Someone said, how does that work? How does that wake him up? The woman said, "He sleeps with the dog."

In my more agitated moments as a parent, I'm tempted to believe that Mark Twain's philosophy is the one to follow: He said, When a kid turns thirteen, stick him in a barrel, nail the lid on top, and feed him through the knot hole. When he turns sixteen -- plug up the knot hole. But not even that plan will work. There has never been a teenager who could get enough food to survive through the knot hole of a barrel! No, what we need most is God's plan for our families. God’s plan will always work.

I. THE MAN OF GOD

  A. HE WAS A MAN OF FAITH
    1. Gal 3:6 "Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
    2. Faith brings the spiritual blessings of God.
    3. However, our families need more than just spiritual blessings.
    4. In this world, we reap what we sow - Gal.6:7
    5. You can be a man with great beliefs and lousy attitude.
    6. 1 Cor 13:2 says, "…though I have all faith, so that I could move mountains, and have not love,
        I am nothing."

  B. HE WAS A GODLY MAN
    1. He was hospitable to strangers Gen. 18:1-8
        a. Three strangers came to his camp.
        b. He washed their feet.
        c. He gave them milk, bread, and butter
        d. And, he killed a fatted calf for them to have meat.
    2. He was a God-fearing man Gen. 22:1-18
        a. He was willing to give his only son to the Lord
        b. If there was anything that God wanted, Abraham gave it to Him

  C. WHERE IS THE STRANGER?
        There is an ancient legend concerning Abraham and a certain stranger.  This is not Biblical;
        as I said it is a legendary story, but it does have a good moral to it.  The story states that
        Abraham invited a stranger into his tent at mealtime.  However, the man gave no thanks
        to God for His mercy, so Abraham drove the stranger out into the desert with neither food
        or shelter.  In the night, the Lord woke up Abraham and asked, "Where is the stranger?"
        Abraham said, "When he did not fear you, and did not thank you, I drove him out into the
        desert." God rebuked him, saying, "Who made you his judge: I have tolerated your faults
        for all these years. Could you not bear with him one night? Have you learned nothing from
        my mercy to you?" It would be a miracle indeed if the love of Jesus for a lost world did not
        cause some amount of love in the hearts of those of us who claim Him as our Savior!

II. THE PROMISE OF GOD
 
  A. GOD GAVE PROMISES TO ABRAHAM’S FAMILY
        Gen 12:2-3
        2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name
        great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
        3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee
        shall all families of the earth be blessed. (KJV)
    1. God promised to make Abraham a great nation
    2. God promised to bless Abraham
    3. God promised to make Abraham’s name great
    4. God promised that Abraham would be a blessing
    5. God promised to bless those who blessed Abraham
    6. God promised to curse those who cursed Abraham
    7. God promised that all FAMILIES would be blessed through Abraham

  B. GOD GIVES PROMISES TO OUR FAMILIES
    1.  Abraham’s blessings are yours - Gal 3:7
    2. God will bless your family - Gen. 12:2
    3. God will not fail your family - Josh. 1:5
    4. God will heal your family - 2 Kings 20:5
    5. God will guide your family - Ps. 32:8
    6. God will instruct your family - Ps. 32:8
    7. God will teach your family - Ps. 32:8
    8. God will deliver your family - Ps. 50:15
    9. God will satisfy your family - Ps. 132:15
    10. God will help your family - Is. Isa 41:10
    11. God will strengthen your family - Isa 41:10
    13. God will uphold your family - Isa 41:10
    14. God will not forget your family - Isa 49:15
    15. God will comfort your family - Isa 66:13
    16. God will forgive your family - Jer. 31:34
    17. God will restore your family - Jer. 30:17
    18. God will save your family - Eze. 36:27, 29
    19. God will love your family - John 14:21
    20. God will sup with your family - Rev.3:20

        It’s up to us to claim these promises for our families.

   C. CROSSING THE RIVER
        Once a man was attempting to cross the Mississippi River in the winter.  He began gingerly
        walking on the ice. He was afraid it was too thin, so he got down on his hands and knees
        and began to crawl.  A few times he heard something and he was sure that it was the ice
        breaking around him.  The farther he went, the more terrified he was.  He was afraid that
        he might fall through the ice at any moment. At one point, he was sure that he had heard the
        ice cracking somewhere close by.  He was so scared that he took off his back pack and
        emptied all of his pockets.  He left everything in a pile out in the middle of the frozen river
        as he crawled away with trembling and fear.  Slowly and carefully, he made his way to the
        opposite shore.   Just as he put his hand on the shore,  exhausted and relieved, he discovered
        what the noise had been.  Another man came crashing out of the woods riding a horse drawn
        sled loaded down with scrap iron.  Fearlessly the man on the sled glided across the ice to the
        other side and waved as he passed by.

        Like this weary traveler, some of us have learned only to creep upon the promises of God.
        Cautiously, with fear and trembling we’re tip-toeing on His promises, as though the lightness
        of our step might make His promises more secure. As though we could contribute even in the
        slightest to the strength of His promises by our worry and fear!

        He has promised to be with us. Let’s believe that He is! He has promised to uphold us. Let’s
        believe that He will. Above all, He has promised to forgive us of all our sins through the finished
        work of Christ upon the cross, and He has promised to come and take us home to heaven
        some day. Let’s take Him at His word.

        We don’t need to crawl upon these promises as though they were too thin to uphold us. We
        should be standing on the promises of Christ our King.  Through eternal ages let His praises
        ring. Trusting in our Savior as our all in all!  Standing on the promises of God!

III. THE ALTAR OF GOD

  A. AN ALTAR IS A PLACE OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER
    1. Once you find the promises of God, you need to prayer and receive them by faith.
    2. Hebrews 4:2 says that the Word preached does not profit you unless it is mixed with faith.
    3. You have to do more than just hear about the promises, you need to claim them in prayer.

  B. A PRAYER FOR A HUSBAND (based on Psalm 1:1-3)
    Father, I pray for ______________ according to Psalm 1:1-2 that he will not walk in the
    counsel of the ungodly, that he will not follow their advice, plans, or purposes.  I pray that
    he will not stand submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk.  I pray that he will
    not sit down and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather.  But, I pray that his delight
    will be in your Word, the commands, counsels, and promises of your unmerited favor towards
    us.  I pray that he will meditate and ponder on the instruction and teaching from your Word.  I
    pray according to Psalm 1:3 that he will be like a tree firmly planted by the rivers of water
    which symbolizes your Holy Spirit’s presence in his life.  I pray that he will bring forth good
    fruit, that his leaf (that part of him which takes nourishment from you) will neither wither nor
    fade, and that he prospers in everything that he does.

  C. A PRAYER FOR A WIFE  (according to Proverbs 31)
    Father, I pray for my wife _______.  I thank you that even as you describe in Proverbs 31,
    she is capable, intelligent, and a virtuous woman.  I praise you that I have found her.  She
    is far more precious to me than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. I pray
    that she may speak skillful and godly wisdom to those whom she comes in contact with.
    I pray that she will display kindness as she gives counsel and instruction to those in need.
    I thank you that she loves me and defers to me.  I praise you for working in our marriage
    and blessing our home.

  D. A PRAYER FOR CHILDREN (according to Isaiah 54:13)
    Father, I bring my children before you in prayer.  I pray according to Isaiah 54:13, that my
    children are taught of the Lord and great is their peace and undisturbed composure.  I pray
    according to Eph 6:1-4 that they will obey me and my wife. I pray that they will obey out of
    respect You have placed us in authority over our children according to your Word.  I pray
    that they will honor us and gain the promise of long life which is found in Eph 6:3.  I pray that
    you will guide and direct my discipline of them that I would not nag them to the point of
    resentment.  But, help me to bring them up with the loving discipline and instruction which
    comes from You.