Mere Stones/Reminders-8 Series

MERE STONES/Reminders-VIII—Joshua 4:1-24(:15-24)

Reminder/Recall/Memorial/Symbol/Post-it notes/String on finger

Boys hiking/Exploring cave/Deeper into cave/Bear!

Both tear out of cave in their hiking gear with bear close behind/As one is running he unzips backpack, pulls out tennis shoes, hits the ground, unties boots slams on tennis shoes/Partner screams at the one on the ground we don’t have time to put on shoes! Let’s get out of here!’

Partner says, ‘I’ve got plenty of time, All I have to do is outrun you!’

A reminder to his cave exploring buddy to pick up his pace!

Little Things can make all the difference in a person’s life!

& little things can make all the difference in your Christian life also!

Need:

Joshua had twelve stones removed from the Jordan River as a memorial to the crossing.

Memorials or Spiritual Reminders hold a great deal of significance to God’s people.f

What significance can spiritual reminders offer?

Achievements of spiritual reminders.

Previously we have found that...

Mere Stones/Reminders, little things, can transport us to a Position of...

1. UNIQUE ACCOMPLISHMENT(:3, 5)

2. BLESSING(:3)

3. IMMINENT DANGER(:5)

4. RESPONSIBILITY(:5)

5. INFLUENCE(:6)Envision

6. REFLECTION(:7-9)

7. COMPLETION/End(:10-11)

8. OPPORTUNITY(:10b)

9. COMMITMENT(:12-13)

10—Mere Stones/Reminders can transport us To a Position of...

PROMINENCE(:14)

Explanation:(:14)Exaltation/Notice

:14—“On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; & they feared him, as they had feared Moses, all the days of his life.”

So arrives the start/initiation of the fruition of God’s promise to Joshua in Josh. 3:7.

Josh. 3:7—“And the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.”.....

...Ex. 14:21-31—“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; & the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, & made the sea into dry land, & the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, & the waters were a wall to them on their right hand & on their left. And the Egyptians pursued & went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, & his horsemen. Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire & cloud, & He troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; & the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, & on their horsemen.” And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; & when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned & covered the chariots, the horsemen, & all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, & the waters were a wall to them on their right hand & on their left. So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, & Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, & believed the LORD & His servant Moses.”

Every Christian brother/sister wants to know that God will be with them in their ministries...That their every ministry move will be a blessing to God & man! The stones were a reminder of where our true strength & power lies.

—Outside of our fleshy ability & thus avoiding haughtiness.

*Prominence(in God’s eyes & among the godly) is always borne on the wings of positive respect!

—You cannot expect to receive positive respect in the community of godly faith until you fully commit all your ways to God thru Christ Jesus!

‘Prominence’ is relative & limited to what you perceive prominence to be....either worldly prominence or godly prominence.

Prominence & ‘success’ are corollaries/consequences of one another.

BUT...Secular society measures success, & awards prominence, by earthy/fleshly means. Sometimes these intersect with Christian values & success—Financial security/Thriving business/Recognized employer/Philanthropy/Town-City-County-State-Nation Builders. These successes mimic Christian values. Such actions may be righteous(right actions in God’s eyes), but not necessarily Christian...They can just as easily be driven by humanism, & spiritualism.

Secular ‘successes’ go largely unrecognized in Christian circles. Because Christians measure success by a person’s...a church’s, successful commitment to God’s will & serving God. Then Prominence among God’s people is awarded.