Guest Blogger: At the Altar by Dr. Ephraim John Udofia

The altar usually may be a place of sacrifice to spiritual entities. To a Christian an altar may be a place of brokenness, submission and thanksgiving. The important part in the Christian religion is the building of an altar. this might be during a designated house of worship or a deserved place put aside specifically to hunt the living God. it is not the physical components of the altar that matters a lot of to the Lord however the state of our hearts. the essential activities at the altar reveal an individual spiritual standing with God.

An altar may be a very essential holy place during a person's life and warrants regular visit to attach with the Holy God in heaven. In our society these days the word altar may be a taboo, however movie theaters, strip centers, beer joints and sport arenas gain a lot of prominence. people run with passion and generally with the angle of worship to these places while ignoring the $64000 altars where lasting transformation occurs.

Abraham in the previous Testament is the prime example of a person who designed altars regularly whenever God looked as if it would him or blessed him. His angle won him the label of being known as, "the friend of God". At the altar where ever that may be that you've set apart as holy to hunt the Lord, you will find peace in troubled times.

In churches, several Christians have forsaken the altar, may be they need not been taught on the facility of transformation that may take place. Altar has continually been a vital phenomenon in the lives of godly people throughout the pages of the Holy Bible and history. The church altar is the focus purpose of spiritual services. Divers miracles have been recorded from people who stepped forward from the pew to the altar.

If you've no altar for seeking God, build one these days, not essentially a cloth construction however an area that you deemed holy to supply prayers to the Lord.

Hindrances to approaching the Altar:

• Pride- stemming from wealth, power, education, position etc...
• Lack of knowledge of the divine acts of God.
• Sinful lifestyle with no want to alter
• Not being thankful and being self-centered

Any home without a family altar is destitute of God's presence. An altar may be a constant reminder of God's presence in our homes. At the altar burdens are lifted and yokes are destroyed. The altar should be the center of a true believer's life.

• Abraham designed altars to God
• Noah designed an altar unto the Lord. See Genesis 8:20
• Moses designed an altar and known as on the Lord. See Exodus 12:15
• Jacob wrestled with the Lord during a make-shift altar and prevailed.

They all learned that at the altar, the Lord will meet them. We read, "The sacrifices of God are broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" (Psalms 51: seventeen, KJV). If you humble yourself and build an altar, God will send the rain of his presence.

Since the Lord is gift everywhere, you'll be able to build an altar to hunt him as your need arises. you don't essentially have to be compelled to find a church to run to at that moment.

At the altar is refreshing, an area of new strength, deliverance and all you want. It's there at the altar by religion in the name of Jesus.

Dr. Ephraim John Udofia is the founder and Presiding Bishop of Living religion Apostolic Ministries. International Mission-intensive ministry, both in foreign and residential missions with currently over six churches in 3 countries. Dr.Udofia is the author of over seven life-changing books. he is passionately involved in church planting, crusades, conferences and ministers' coaching since the seventies. Dr.Udofia holds a Bsc. in Management, minor in accounting, an MBA, and Doctorate in Ministry (Dmin) with major in Missions. he is a former CEO of Precious Jewels Inc. for 19 years. additionally a former banker and security representative holding both State and Federal licences. A money counselor, motivational speaker, mentor, marriage counsellor and an excellent dedicated family man. he is happily married with 5 grown youngsters.

Coming Soon! Will You Be Made Whole

Will You Be Made Whole

As Jesus traveled around throughout the country teaching and working miracles a woman with an issue of blood touched His robe.

Facts About Her:

·She was “diseased with an issue of blood twelve years” (Matt. 9:20).She had “suffered many things of many physicians” and had spent “all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” (Mark 5: 26);

· She had heard of Jesus and when she saw He was near she joined in the throng of people following Him as He made His way to Jarius’ house. She said within herself, “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” (Matt. 9: 21);

· She came behind Him and touched the hem of His garment (Matt 9:20). As soon as she touched Him “the fountain of her blood was dried up” and she “felt in her body that she was healed of that plague” (Mark 5: 29);

· As soon as she touched Him Christ "immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him” (Mark 5:30) stopped and asked “Who touched me?” Everyone around Him denied it and Peter asked him “Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee and sayest thou, Who touched me?” (Luke 8: 45).

· When the woman saw that she was unable to hide from the Lord she “came trembling and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.” (Luke 8: 47)

· Christ looked on her and told her, “Daughter be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (Luke 8:48)

Speculations About Her:
Under the Mosaic law a woman with an issue of blood (referring to menstrual orpostpartum bleeding) was considered unclean and was “put apart” for 7 days. During this time anything she lay on or sat on was considered “unclean” meaning that if anyone touched one of those things he would have to wash his clothes and bathe in water to become clean again. Also during this time if any man was sexually intimate with her he was also unclean for 7 days and must adhere to the same sort of “setting apart” as a woman (and actually the guidelines for a man who has an issue of blood, or who was unclean were more strict than for women, see Leviticus 15:1-30).

The Mosaic Law also specified that if a woman had an issue of blood that lasted longer than 7 days that all the days of her issue were considered unclean and she must be treated as such (Leviticus 15: 25). This means that this woman had probably been unclean for 12 years and that she had to live “put apart” from others for all that time. If she had been married her husband probably would have divorced her as she would have been unable to care for her children or for others without making them all unclean. Her unclean status would also have meant that she was probably unable to attend the temple or other worship services.

I did a quick Google search for information about “prolonged menstruation” and I discovered that today this woman probably would have been diagnoses with menorrhagia, which is abnormally heavy and long menstruation that causes enough cramping and blood loss that it makes normal daily activities impossible. The scriptures are right in calling it a “hemorrhage” because the amount of blood lost is significant—enough to fill a maxi pad at least every hour for several weeks (not to mention 12 years!).

According to the Mayo Clinic common causes of menorrhagia are:

• Uterine fibroids, non-cancerous growths of the uterus wall
• Endometrial hyperplasia, a thickened endometrium
• A bleeding disorder, like von Willebrand disease
• Problems with clotting
• Thyroid functioning
• Glandular issues
• Infection
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine polyps
• Cancer

In the scriptures it say that the woman spent all of her living upon physicians who could not help her. Today physicians are usually able to treat or control menorrhagia with hormone pills but in severe cases hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) and endometrial ablation or resection (which permanently destroys the entire lining of the uterus) are used to treat it. It is incredible that Jesus was able to heal this woman with only a touch.

In our lives we have issues, maybe it’s a physical disease but a dis-ease nonetheless. This story goes to show that no matter what we are going through in life, we can be made whole.