Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Then "the Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your
descendants I will give this land.'" His faith was strengthened by this
assurance. "And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had
appeared to him." Still a traveler, he soon journeyed to a spot near
Bethel and again built an altar and called on the name of the Lord.
Abraham set us a worthy example. His was a life of prayer.
Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside he set up his altar, calling
everyone in his camp to the morning and evening sacrifice. When he
moved away, the altar remained. Roving Canaanites were taught by
Abraham, and wherever any of these came to that altar, they
worshiped the living God there.
Why God Permitted Abraham to Suffer Famine
Abraham continued to travel southward, and again his faith was
tested. The heavens withheld their rain, and the flocks and herds
found no pasture. Starvation threatened the whole camp. Everyone
was eagerly watching to see what Abraham would do, as trouble
after trouble came. As long as his confidence appeared unshaken,
they felt that there was hope; they were assured that God was his
friend and that He was still guiding him.
Abraham clung to the promise, "I will bless you and make your
name great; and you shall be a blessing." He would not allow
circumstances to shake his faith in God's word. He went down to
Egypt to escape the famine. In his great trouble he did not turn back
to the Chaldean land from which he came, but looked for a
85