Morning by Morning, January 21 - "What Do These Stones Mean to You?"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are One with the Father, One with the Holy Spirit, and in the merciful, intimate Love of God, You desire to be One with me (John 17:20-25). I listen now, in these first moments of my morning, for the leading of Your Spirit. ...
"When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua: 'Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, and command them, 'Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.' Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. Joshua said to them, 'Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you talk up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribe of the Israelites, so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, 'What do these stones mean to you?' then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever'" (Joshua 4:1-7).
Twelve stones of identity for the twelve tribes who crossed over from the wilderness into the Promised Land. Twelve stones of remembrance to mark the presence and power and provision of God at this key moment in the life of the nation of Israel. Twelve stones of legacy to speak to the children and children's children throughout all the generations to come of this great inheritance and destiny in God, grounded and established in their identity as the people of God. All that they experienced on their journey of faith with You were "a shadow of things to come" for us on our own journey of faith with You in Christ (Colossians 2:17).
My Father God, I thank You for the stones of identity, the stones of remembrance, the stones of legacy You've set in place in my life. They remind me of Your goodness and mercy, Your grace and majesty, Your generosity and miracles -- all in the light Your greatness and my humanity. Not on the basis of my righteousness, but on the basis of Yours, not on the basis of anything I have done but by all that You have done, You have brought me out of my Egypt, through my wildernesses, and into my Promised Land. And You still are, every day of my journey.
You're still driving out my spiritual enemies from before me and You're still at work within me to establish Your Kingdom and form Your nature, here in me to make me more like You. This is the Promised Land -- be conformed to image of Christ (Romans 8:29), to know my place as part of the Body and Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33), to be more and more like Christ in my world (1 John 4:17). You are faithful and You will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). You will be faithful to bring to completion the good work You have begun in me (Philippians 1:6).
Even this morning, Your Holy Spirit is bringing to mind such significant stones of remembrance of my journey with You. When You saved me, when You called me, so many of the times You encouraged, corrected me, healed me, delivered me, tried to sanctify me and teach me Your will and Your ways to mature me into Your nature. And whenever my children or anyone else looks at these stones in my life and asks, "What do these stones mean to you?" (Joshua 4:6), I can answer, "Everything. They are precious stones to me. These stones speak of the Lord my God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of the Living God -- Who loves me, Who's for me, Who has never given up on me, and Who is at work within me to make me more like Him every day." In Jesus' name I pray Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you be ready to share the hope within you to anyone who asks about the mercy and grace of the God Who loves you, Who's for you, Who never gives up on you, and Who is at work within you to make you more like Him every day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
I'm excited to be teaching the Healing Academy at Aldersgate Renewal Ministries again this year, the first week of February -- February 3-7, 2020 in Goodlettsville, TN just north of Nashville. Register today and come join us! Please spread to word to anyone who may be interested in this week-long equipping and experience of healing prayer ministry:
I will be teaching based on my book Free to Be Like Jesus-Transforming Power of Inner Healing and Deliverance, which I'm so honored to be endorsed by Max Lucado, Randy Clark, and Andy Reese.
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
