March 14th
F - Foundation

GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:

         Joshua 4:6-7 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:

God is very much into leaving signs around that He was there. Often we hear of Him asking the children of Israel to build a memorial reminding passers by of who He is and what He had done. When He duplicated the miracle of parting the Red Sea at the Jordan, He does the same thing. He asks Joshua to have twelve men gather twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan as the people walked across on dry ground. When they brought them out on the other side God had said, those twelve Stones would serve as a reminder and a means of starting a conversation about what He had done. He said, “these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.” You might wonder why God does not do this today. Why doesn’t He leave memorials around that we can use to talk with our children about? The truth is He does. In fact, He has left literally millions of them all over the place. In 1 Peter 2:5 Peter says “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.;” We are to be those memorials for Christ today. Lively Stones who are put together in such a way that we shine forth with the glory of who God is and what He has done in our lives. Living in such a fashion as to have people ask the question, “What is it that makes them different?” At that moment, we might be able to share the wonderful news of who Christ is in us, and all He has done for us. Including in our conversation how this very same God will do the same for them if they might let Him. A living stone memorial as individuals is wonderful. However, when you get them together you have a church. A Church, which should also have a testimony in the community of being a memorial of the grace of God.

LETTING THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:

Remember, churches are not buildings built of brick or wood. Churches are built of Stones. Lively Stones. Churches are built with people. Go be part of a memorial for the Lord. Be a Stone that counts for Christ.