Look Back At The Stones

Hello Everyone,

At Gilgal, Joshua followed God’s command to take twelve large stones from the middle of the Jordain River-which God had miraculously divided to allow his people to cross on dry land-and set them up as memorial stones.

The purpose of the stones was to ignite discussion with the next generation:

“In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean? Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (Joshua 4:6-7)

When they would do this they would be reinforcing the miracle of God’s power and provision.

These stones were not idols to be worshiped.
They were a testimony to the faithfulness of the one and only true God!
They gave reason to give praise to God.

Instead of looking at the battles ahead of them and worry about what was going to happen they could focus on the twelve stones, and their fears would evaporate.

Their God had stopped the flood stage Jordan so they could cross over! Surely He could stop the arrows, spears, and rocks of the enemy, too!

In our times of confrontation with those things that would try to come against us it would be best NOT to focus on the troubles lined up against us.

Instead, we need to celebrate the God who has already demonstrated His POWER and PROVISION in our past.

We do not need to be fretful or anxious.
We need to anchor our hearts and minds in God’s overwhelming track record.

Your Bible says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:8)
Apparently not all Believers live the same distance from God.

As we live a life FULL of praise and thanksgiving for God’s past mercies and blessings we experience God coming closer to us in the present.

What a difference it would make if we would simply paused once an hour or so to say, “Thank you Lord for being so good to me! I give You praise!”

Just think how much more the Joy of the Lord and the Peace of the Lord would be ours all day long.

Yes we will have problems in 2009, it is inevitable. But instead of worrying about what we are facing are going to face look at the difficulties in the reality of ALL that God has done for us in the past.

Look at the STONES that you have for a testimony of God’s faithfulness!

Be “happy in God” on the fact of His faithfulness up to now-that is the first lesson of Gilgal.

Certainly each of us has at least twelve stones of Gods faithfulness in our lives.

I am looking forward to a great New Year, but first I must pause and look back at the Faithfulness of God in the past.

All For Jesus
Phil