After Abraham pitched his tent, built an altar and called upon the name of the Lord, the Scriptures say that "Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south" (Gen. 12:9).
Instead of staying where he had his altar--his contact with God--Abraham went farther south. He went away from the altar and made "provision for the flesh" (Rom. 13:14).
Have you not also found that failures arise when you neglect the altar? The altar is representative of our communion and fellowship with God. Do you have an altar?
It is common to refer to the "family altar." This means having a time when the family reads the Word of God and prays together. But do you also have an individual altar--a time alone with God for Bible reading and prayer?
You desperately need this time with God; to omit it is to invite all kinds of trials and failures into your life.
I do not think I am exaggerating when I say that 85 percent of the failures and trials that Christians have can be traced to the fact that their altar relationship with God is not right. They have moved away from the time of fellowship with Him.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105).