It All Begins With An Altar

“The eyes of the Lord range to and fro throughout the earth…” — 2 Chronicles 16:9

High Above the Earth

Join me in the skies for a moment. High, high above the earth, a long, long time ago. (Get your imagination going!)

Thousands of years ago, when there were a mere 2 million people on the face of the planet, much of the earth was vast open deserts, sweeping savannahs, enormous plains, towering mountain ranges. Empty. Vast. Each human would have had around 28 square miles each—18,000 acres per person. It was sparse. Open. Quiet. Wild.

Now come up to the height of an aeroplane and view the vista of the world in that time. Or let’s go even higher, where we can see the curvature of the earth, endless land and contours below, peppered ever so slightly with people too small to even see—like freckles on the face of the earth.

Are you there with me?

Now remember the verse…

“The eyes of the Lord range to and fro throughout the earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

From the position of our imaginary vista, He is searching throughout the earth.

Looking.
Longing.
High above, over a vast, empty world.

What is he looking for…?

We we know from scripture he is thinking…
Will I find faith on the earth?
Where is there hunger?
Who desires to know me?
Is there any who will build their life around me, instead of their own needs, wants, and desires?

Then, from 30,000 feet, He spots it.

A little plume of smoke.

Tiny from this height—but unmistakable. Rising like a wispy finger pointing skyward. A beacon. A flare. A calling sign. Someone down there is trying to attract attention.

He descends.
Closer… and closer…

Until He can smell it. A sweet aroma. The smell of a fire—like a braai, like incense, like something cooking slowly on crackling logs laid upon a rough stone altar.

And beside the altar, a single man. Stood. Alone. Head bowed. Lips moving silently.

Praying.

The Meeting Place

And in that moment, something profound takes place.
The Spirit of God descends right to the praying man.
Down… and down… until the flame flickers and crackles between them.

God looks at him through the smoke. His heart is moved by this simple show of devotion and desire. The altar had made room for the Giver, and ushered Him into the presence of the one who sought Him.

The man had attracted heaven. Well, no, not just heaven – but God Himself. In person. 
And from this point on, in each biblical account, an amazing adventure unfolds.
But it all starts with an altar.

The Thread Through Time

As time marched on, more and more wisps of worship rose into the heavens, drawing God down. Dozens turned to thousands, and thousands to millions, calling on the name of the Lord.

And over time the altar became a tent.
The tent became a tabernacle.
The tabernacle became a temple.
But at its most sacred core, nothing changed.
There was still an altar.

Because the altar is where heaven meets earth. It is where desire meets response. It is where hunger is answered with glory.

Your Altar

And now, here we are today. And God is searching the hearts of mankind across the world.
We may not stack stones in open fields. We may not light physical fires. But the principle has never changed.

We still build altars.
Through our worship.
Through our prayer.
Through our surrender.
Through our sacrifice.

Every moment we turn toward Him, every time we make space for His presence, every act of devotion—it rises like smoke.

And God still sees it.

Will There Be Smoke?

In a world that is busy, noisy, distracted—where lives are built around self rather than surrender—the question remains:

Will there be a signal from your life?
Will there be smoke rising?
Because when there is, heaven responds.
The eyes of the Lord are still searching.
And when He finds a heart that longs for Him, He does what He has always done—He comes.

It all begins with an altar.

Believe & Confess Meditation & Declaration

The eyes of the Lord are upon me as I set my heart toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). I draw near to God, and He draws near to me (James 4:8). My life is a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). My worship rises as a sweet aroma before Him (Psalm 141:2). God inhabits my praise and meets me at the altar (Psalm 22:3). As I hunger for Him, I am filled with His presence and glory (Matthew 5:6).

👉 If this stirred your heart, share it with friends, your church, or someone who needs to rediscover the altar.

AN EXTRACT FROM THE ALTAR: By Jarrod Cooper, to be released June 2026.
Order your copy below ⬇️

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THE ALTAR — Pre-Order Now

Creating lives & cultures ready to host the glory of God.

Something is stirring.

Across the world, hunger for God’s presence is rising—and many are asking: how do we truly host His glory?

In The Altar, Jarrod Cooper calls us back to the place where heaven meets earth—the altar. A place of encounter, devotion, and transformation.

This book will help you:
• Deepen your personal encounter with God
• Build a lifestyle of worship
• Hear His voice clearly
• Create cultures that carry His presence

This isn’t just a book—it’s a call.
When the altar is restored, the fire falls again.

Special pre-order price:£10 (including postage & packaging)
Full price £12 + P&P

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