12 STONES

This is for my friend, and you know who you are. I know that her and I both need a little lift in spirits, and faith right now. I was doing my daily study, I have been reading Joshua. God was speaking to Joshua in chapter 1, Moses has died and basically he has given the reigns to Joshua. In this chapter God tells Joshua that every place that the sole of his feet will tread he has given to him. He continues to tell Joshua He will be with him, he will not leave him or forsake him. Even though he tells him that he is with him, he is giving him comfort and goes on to say to him, "Be Strong and Be Courageous." I was thinking on this passage and thinking of your journey, or even my journey. It's scary to go through my husband changing jobs, it was scary going through the fact that he gave up his second job for the ministry, but God gave it to us. God gave Matt a position in the ministry, God gave Matt this new job he is about to take on, and God sent my friends to an unfamiliar place full of unfamiliar people so they could spread God's word. Is it OK to be a little scared, I would have to say that maybe Joshua was scared or at least God must have thought he would have reason to be weak and be scared, or else he would not have had to proclaim the words "Be strong, and be courageous." Isn't it funny, we trust in God, we believe he has sent us where we are, yet we get right in the middle of everything God has sent us to and we start to doubt and get scared. God can be standing in front of us with a big flashing sign that says, " Hey dummy, I told you I would take care of it " and we would probably still doubt and lack faith sometimes.

So that brings me to the chapters I studied tonight, which is Joshua 3 and 4. Where God dried up the waters of the river Jordan until they passed over it. They took the 12 stones from the river Jordan and Joshua set them up in Gilgal. Why did he do this? This is the part I want you to pay close attention to.......He did this so that all the people of the earth may know that

the hand of the Lord is mighty

, that you fear the Lord your God forever.

So, first you should remember that God has given you everything that you have and that he will never leave you nor forsake you. I know that you are on unfamiliar ground, it may be unfamiliar to you but God created all of it and he is going to lead you through it. He is a mighty God, whatever bridges need to be crossed, he will make a way. If he can dry a river so people can walk through it, he will give you common ground with those you need to reach and with those who will reach out to you. So I ask you to remember when things start to get rough, and it seems greater than what you can handle, think of the 12 stones that lay as a reminder that the hands of our God is Mighty. Be Courageous and Be Strong. What an honor it must have been for Joshua to take over where Moses left off. What an honor it is to be used by God.

Hang tight to those words when things seem a little rough, 12 STONES. Don't allow the devil to bring fear, and discouragement into your life. Be Courageous and Be Strong and know that the hands of God are guiding you.