Joshua 24:2 "And Joshua said to all the people, 'Thus says the Lord: Your fathers ...dwelt on the other side of the river...and they served other gods'".
Genesis 23:6 "You are a prince of God among us" (21:22 "God is with you in all that you do".)
The steps in Abraham's life from "idol worshiper" to "a prince of God".
1. Abraham believed God.
a. "I will make you a great nation" (12:2; Romans 4:16-21).
b. "And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (12:3; Galatians 3:6-8).
2. Abraham acted upon what God said.
a. "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Get out of your country, from your kindred ...to a land that I will show you'" (12:1).
b. "So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to Him" (12:4; Hebrews 11:8 "And he went out, not knowing where He was going").
3. Abraham maintained a personal relationship with God.
a. "Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem....And there he built an altar to the Lord" (12:6-7).
b. "And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel...there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord".