Daily Devotional
By Pastor Jerry Teboe
A Closer Walk with Christ in 2026
Mountain Top Series – Part 2
Building Altars
Genesis 12:8
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
God called Abraham to leave his family and his land and go to a place that He would show him. After a period of time, Abraham went with his wife and his nephew to that land. We call it the Promised Land today because it was promised to Abraham and his children forever.
When he arrived in the land, the first thing he did was to find a place for an altar. He chose that place between Bethel and Hai. These two areas are important because they symbolize the places where people decide to settle even in our day. Bethel means “the house of God.” Hai means “the place of ruin.”
Unfortunately, many people choose the house of ruin instead of the house of God. Their lives never measure up to the standard of fully worshiping and serving God, because they are looking to the things of the world that bring ruin. An example of this is the nephew of Abraham named Lot. He had the opportunity to walk with God and live a life of blessing, but he chose to live in Sodom. It was the grace of God that saved him and his daughters when God destroyed the city. And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds (2 Peter 2:7-8).
We need to be careful about how we live and the decisions we make by seeking God and His will for our lives which will bring us His protection and guidance.
Another example of a bad decision is seen when Abraham, after he had built the altar, decided to go down to Egypt where he lied about his wife being his sister. It was also there that Hagar was given as a maid to Sarah. She would become a great stumbling block for Abraham’s family. She later even became the mother of a people who have been the enemies of the children of God for generations.
We must build our altars in places where we can devote ourselves to God and then continue to live lives dedicated only to the Lord, allowing Him to be first in every area.
Bible Reading for the Year
January 13th, Genesis 31-32: Matthew 10:24-42
Prayer Needs
Pray also for John Head who has surgery on the 14th.
Please continue to pray for Jennifer Teboe Buchamer. She completed all of the 28 radiation treatments. Please pray for the tumor to shrink. She will see the doctor at Duke on the 14th to discuss possible follow-up treatment.
Please pray for Melva Jordan, Dr. Jordan’s wife. She sees a cardiologist on the 14th, the valve specialist on the 15th, and the electrophysiologist on the 16th.
Please pray for Deb Skinner who has surgery on Wednesday, the 20th.
Please pray for Marvin Silverthorne. He will see his eye doctor on January 20th.
Please pray for Jackson Broome. They found a donor. February the 2nd is the date set to begin the procedure. He will need to stay there for 100 days to complete it.
Please pray for Griselda Ramirez and her family. All have been sick with the virus. Carlos and Jayden are better, but her mom, Luisa, and her older son are still struggling. Her mom especially is very sick.
Please pray for Linda Bowers. She is recovering from her bout with covid.
Please continue to pray for Beth Buchta. She had a hip replacement, on November 25th. She saw her orthopedic doctor yesterday and received a good report. She can begin to do a little more each day.
Please pray for Ricky Hill, a coworker of Jeremy Hewitt, who has a tumor on his kidneys which is cancerous.
Please continue to pray for Phil Corey. Pray for his continual dialysis treatments.
Praise the Lord for Anderson and Meredith Womble, friends of Donna Dixion. THE BABY WAS BORN. Mother and baby are doing well! Please continue to pray as there may have to be heart surgery on the little one.
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Pray for our Missionaries!
Sue Singleton and the mission in Cambodia
Dr. Joe Jordan and the CBM (Cross and Bible Ministries)
Travis and Caroline Fennessy – IBM missionaries to Southeast Asia