Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of a devotional on fifty two
questions every believer should answer. But first, here's the message.
What do these stones mean?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Take God's word and turn with me in your Old
Testament to the Book of Joshua and.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
The third chapter.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And defining moments our moments in our lives that we
never forget.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
And all of us have had those kinds of moments.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
And when we look back those defining moments, we celebrate.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
A defining moment. Someone said, is a.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Point in your life when you are urged to make
a pivotal decision or when you experience something that fundamentally
changes you.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And not only changes.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You, but as followers of Jesus, changes you and your
family forever. And that's what Joshua three and four is about.
Now we talked about coming to the Jordan River. Israel
has been in the desert wandering for forty years. An
entire generation has died out, and now a new generation
(01:17):
is ready to take the land that God has given them,
the Promised Land. And remember the Promised land for us
as believers, today is the promised life that God has
given us, this life of abundance, this life of blessing
that we've been promised in Christ, and to live a
victorious Christian life, not defeated by circumstances or conditions in
(01:40):
our lives, but living in the abundance that is Christ.
It doesn't mean that it's always easy, that they're not battles.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
That we fight.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Certainly, Israel, when they cross over into the land of promise,
there were big battles to fight and enemies to defeat.
And when we cross over into this promised life in
Jesus Christ, there are certainly burdens we bear in battles
that we fight. So it's not perfect. It won't be
perfect until we get to Heaven. And we do know
(02:08):
the end of the story because in the end of
the story we are going to be in His presence forever. Now,
I want to talk to you about these miraculous moments
in our lives, momentous moments in our lives when we
cross over into the blessing of God.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The big problem that Israel.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Was facing that day, that you could be facing, is
that there was a big river right in front of them.
It was the Jordan River, and it was the spring season,
the harvest season, and so the river was swollen and
it was a raging river, and they had no human
way in order to get to the other side. So
how is Joshua going to lead the people across this
(02:56):
raging river?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Something supernatural about to happen.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Miraculously, that river is going to part and the people
are going to walk over on dry ground, just as
forty years earlier they had walked through the Red Sea
on dry ground. God is giving now a new generation
a miracle of their own the supernatural. Do you believe
in the supernatural? Do you believe in the miraculous?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I do.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
The miraculous is what happens beyond human experience, human effort,
or human explanation. It is when God does something in
our lives that we cannot explain. It is indescribable. But
(03:44):
when it happens, especially when you look back in your life,
when it happens, you realize it was the hand of
God moving in your life, even if you may not
have known it at the time. It is indescribable, but
in unmistakeable. And so if you're going to experience this
miracle in your life, and the supernatural power of God
(04:07):
to get you where you are and into the future
that God has planned for you. We discovered earlier in
this text that you're going where you've never been before.
You've never passed this way before. You have a past,
but you have a future. And maybe you're concerned about
(04:27):
your future. Maybe you don't know what's going to happen next.
Maybe you have questions about what God is doing in
your life right now, and you need the hand of
God to move.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You need to see God move in your life. So
how do you do that.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Well, we saw initially that we are to prepare our hearts.
We're to prepare ourselves for what God is going to do.
The scripture says, sanctify yourself Joshua three, dedicate yourself, consecrate
yourself unto God. For tomorrow the Lord is going to
do wonders among you. So get ready to move and
(05:02):
get ready for the miracle by preparing yourself spiritually in prayer,
in devotion, in dedication, and get yourself ready to go
to the other side.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
But there's a.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Second thing that we all need to do, and that
is to focus on Christ by following the ark of God.
Now here's where we're going to read the scripture, begetting
at verse eight of Joshua three. And as for you,
command the priest to bear the ark of the Covenant
when you come to the brink of the waters of
(05:35):
the Jordan. You shall stand still in the Jordan. And
Joshua said, to the people of Israel, come here and
listen to the words.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Of the Lord, your God.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Very critical that we hear from God, that we listen
to God. And Joshua said, here is how you shall
know that the Living God. Don't you love that we
serve a living Lord, a risen savior.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Our God is alive. And he said, you.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Will look to this Living God among you, and he
will without fail. How many of you know that God
is faithful, that he has never failed you yet, And
without fail he will drive out from before you the
canaan ize, the Hides, the head of Ice, the Parises,
the Gurgosites, and the Amoris, and the Jebucides, and the Termites.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
And know that.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
But verse eleven, behold, the ark of the Covenant of
the Lord of all the Earth is passing before you
into the Jordan. You haven't been there yet, but God
is already there. In your future, and God is leading
you forward. That's the title of this series. Now, therefore,
(06:50):
take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each
tribe a man, that is, these men would represent the
two to three million people they were to be unified.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Together and going across.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
So twelve from each tribe, one man from each tribe.
And when the souls of the feet of the priests
bearing the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all
the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan,
the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing,
and the waters coming down from above shall stand in
one heap. And so when the people set out from
their tents, remember these are nomads living in the desert,
(07:25):
to pass over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the
Ark of the Covenant before the people. And as soon
as those bearing the ark watched this, as soon as
those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan,
and the feet of the priest bearing the ark were
dipped into the brink of the water. Now the Jordan
overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest.
(07:47):
So this was a courageous move on their part to
step in to move forward, and the waters coming down
from above stood and rose up in a heap from
far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarathan,
and those flowing down the Sea of Araba, that's the
Dead sea, the salt sea. We're completely cut off. And
the people passed over opposite to Jericho, that is, they
(08:10):
went through. And now the priest bearing the Ark of
the Covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground
and in the midst of the Jordan, and all of
the Israel was passing over on dry ground until all
the nation finished passing over Jordan. That's an epic story, right,
(08:33):
And they experienced this miracle, a miracle that enabled them
to cross over into the land that God had given them.
Now the question is, what in the world is this?
Is this about? What is it really about? It's more
than the miracle. The children of Israel possessed this ark,
(08:56):
and the ark was made of wood and overlaid with gold.
There are two Cheruban angels on the top the mercy
seat where God and Man met. The Ark of the
Covenant went everywhere the people of God would go and
led them forward. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were
(09:16):
memories from the past mementos, important.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Memories from the past. One was the.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Law of God, the tablets, the Ten Commandments, and then
there was the rod of Aaron that budded miraculously.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And then there was a pot of mana.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
God's children Israel were miraculously fed in the wilderness with manna,
a divine bread that God sent them for provision each day.
So what you have inside this ark the Law of God,
and on top of the Ark is the mercy of God,
the mercy seat. You have the Law of God and
(09:55):
the love of God represented in this art. So you
have God's precepts in the Law. Then with the rod
that budded, you had God's power, a demonstration of God's
power that they carried with them. And then the pot
of manna a demonstration of God's provision. And so we
have all of that in Christ. In fact, you're going
to discover that the Ark is all about Jesus. The
(10:15):
Ark represents Jesus himself. You have God's provision, God's power,
and God's principles are God's precepts and people men would
carry the Ark with the children of Israel through the desert,
then through the Jordan River, and then throughout the land
of Promise, got it, That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
But what does it mean.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Jesus is the ark, and God led the children of
Israel to take that ark on these poles, and the
priests to start. And it did take some courage to
step into the water before it was splitting offense. The
priests led the way and as they carried the ark,
(11:03):
the waters begin to divide, and in the midst of
the Jordan River they were separated from the people by
design by about three thousand yards three thousand yards, and
so it was about a half a mile. Why the separation,
(11:25):
so that everyone could see it. All these people could
look and see the ark. There was also a sense
of the need of separating the arc from the people.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
The ark was going before them.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
You know, we need reverence for God in our generation.
A fear of Almighty God. Not a fear that causes
us to run from him, but that causes us to
run to him and run for him, the fear of
the Lord. And so you know, God's not your homeboy,
Jesus is not your buddy, but he's the holy God
(12:00):
that we worship. How will it be your name? Jesus
taught us to pray and so while God is a
father who loves us in sympathy and security and holds
us dear, our Father is a holy the Holy God.
So when I see this arc out separated, I realize
that there is a uniqueness. In fact, there were people
in the Old Testament who actually died just touching the
(12:22):
arc inappropriately because the arc are you listening? The arc
represents the presence and the power of God. And so
to get to the other side of wherever we're going
in our lives, we must look to the ark.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Hark the arc. We must keep our eyes focused on God.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
what do these stones mean? When you ask big questions
of God, you can trust till give you answers that
grow your faith and deepen your intimacy with Him. In
his devotional The Jesus Code, os Hawkins helps you uncover
bold truths as you search for answers to life's biggest questions.
(13:14):
We want to send you a copy of this powerful
resource as thanks for your gift of ten dollars or
more so, request your copy of the Jesus Code when
you call and give today Call one eight hundred seven
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
text the word code to five nine seven eight nine.
(13:37):
Don't let stress rob you of peace. It is possible
to break the destructive grip of stress on your life
and enjoy the peace and abundance God desires for you.
That's what doctor Graham helps you do in his booklet
Breaking Free from Stress. We'll send you a digital download
of Breaking Free from Stress when you sign up for
email updates from PowerPoint Today. Just go to PowerPoint dot
(13:59):
org slash stress and sign up today. Now let's get
back to today's message. What do these stones mean?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
In the New Testament, we're told in the Book of
Hebrews Chapter twelve, verse one, that we are looking unto Jesus,
who is the author and the finisher of our faith.
So with all the resolutions that we make and all
the dreams that we have, we really have one job
(14:29):
as followers of Jesus, and that is to keep our
eyes on the art, to keep our eyes on God,
to keep our eyes fastened and fixed on our.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Lord as we go forward.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Because with all the distractions and things, and all the
fears that can you imagine.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I mean, this had never happened before.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
These children of Israel were brave and bold, and they
were following their commander Joshua. But ultimately they were believing
God for a miracle in their lives, and the miracle comes.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Remember what a miracle is something.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
That God does that we can't explain without explanation, without
human experience or effort.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
When God's hand moves.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
We know it is him, and we know it is
him because we're looking to him and we're believing him.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
And he makes a way for us.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I love the words that my friend Don Moen wrote
years ago. God will make a way when there seems
to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see.
Because I know my God will make a way for me.
He will be my guide and hold me closely to
(15:43):
his side with love and strength.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
For each new day he will make a way. He
will make a way.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
So as you look at your uncharted paths right in
front of you, when you look at perhaps obstacles like
a big river that looks uncrossable, you need a miracle.
You need God to move in your life. Get your
eyes on Jesus, keep your eyes on the power in
the presence of God in your lives and move forward.
(16:13):
Just keep trusting God. You will listen to this. You
will never go anywhere God has not gone before you.
You see, it's not only before us, but it's behind us.
And we're going to get to that in just a second.
But you know, really, the only reason we should be
looking back is to see the goodness and the grace
(16:34):
of God that has followed us all the days of
our lives. Surely the Psalm has said, goodness and mercy
will follow me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
So really, the only real good reason to look back
too much is just to see those mercies of God
that are chasing after us every single day, and to
(16:56):
give thanks for the faithfulness of God and the god
goodness of God in our lives.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Amen. Okay, So now, so focus.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
On the art, focus on Jesus if you want to
cross over, if you want the miracle for God to move,
and then when you cross over, when you get there,
God says, stack some stones. Okay, what do you mean,
pastor we'll look in chapter four of Joshua what happened
(17:28):
when they got on the other side, when God gave
them the miracle they needed. When all the nation had
finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,
take twelve men from the people, each one a man
from the tribe, and command them, saying, take twelve stones
from here out of the midst of the Jordan.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Remember the Jordan is dry now.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
So he said, go out and get twelve stones from
the very place where the priest Food's feet stood firmly,
and bring them over with you and lay them down
in the place that's where you lodged tonight. That place
was called Gilgal, which means a circle. So they were camped.
They were circled up, and Joshua, this is verse four,
call the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom
(18:11):
he appointed a man for each tribe. And Joshua said
to them, pass on before the ark of the Lord
your God in the midst of the Jordan, and take
up each of you a stone. This was a big
stone on the shoulder, according to the number of tribes
of the people of Israel, that this may be a
sign among you. When your children asked, okay, are you
ready for this? When your children ask in time to come,
(18:38):
What do these stones me.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
When you tell them.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before
the ark of the Covenant of the Lord, when it
passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were
cut off verse twenty one. And he said to the
people of Israel, when you're children ask their fathers. Pay
attention dads. I mean, he goes from moms too, But dad's.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Listen to this.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
When your children ask their daddies in times to come,
what do these stones that you have stacked up here mean.
Then you shall let your children know. Israel passed over
the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God
dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until
(19:37):
you passed over, as the Lord your God did to
the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until
he passed over. And then watched this verse twenty four.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
So that all the peoples of the earth.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Tell your family, tell your children, and till the whole
world hears, so that all the peoples of the earth
may know that the hand of God is mighty, so
that you may.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Fear the Lord your God forever. Hallelujah.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
That is our calling now, because we have come through
to the other side.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
We have followed Jesus.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
We have safely arrived to a place that God has
promised us.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
And now God says, stack up some stones.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
What's he saying to us? Stack some stones? Always testify
of what God's done in your life. Never forget to
poured out blessings of God upon you and your family
and dads and moms. We have this incredible opportunity to
(20:45):
raise up another generation, so that when our children ask us, why.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Do you follow Jesus? Or what has God done.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
In your life? Why why are we here? When your
children ask you the big questions of life, you can
them to Jesus and you can tell them of the
one who saved you, the one who has changed you.
You know, it's important that we have markers and memories.
We even keep them around our house. You know, things
(21:16):
that happened in the past. Maybe some are trophies. Well,
God has given us trophies from the heart, victories that
we have won in Christ. And yes, let's share the
good times. Let's share the joy with our with our children.
Of all the victories that we've had, the successes in
life and all the rest.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
But God has.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Called every man and every woman in this place to
tell their children and then ultimately our children's children of
the God who is to be loved and followed. This
is on us, dear people, This is on you and me.
We are only one generation away from the end of
Christianity as we know.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
It unless.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
We tell our families and teach our children well, and
then beyond our families. As I read that last verse,
so that the whole world will know, this is what
we do. Because he said, go into all the world
(22:23):
and make disciples, go everywhere preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We've seen miracles. I've seen many miracles in my life,
and so have you. When God answered that prayer, when
God gave you that open door and opportunity, When God
(22:47):
took you places you never imagine you would go, When
God blessed you with those children, When God blessed you
with a family, When when God moved in you in
your life and brought you back to him. Maybe you
were away from God, a long way away. You were
a prodigal living far from God. But He chased you
(23:10):
down is his mercy and his love wouldn't let you go.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
And it was a miracle, and you had a new
beginning in your life.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Stacks of stones tell the story. Let people know what
Jesus has done in your life, so you want a
miracle in your life. When your children ask what do
these stones mean? You tell them about the arc. You
tell them about Jesus. You tell them about what He's
(23:43):
done in your life, so that in God's plan, in
God's purposes for them, they will carry the faith faith
of the Lord Jesus Christ from generation to generation.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
You're listening to our point with Jack Graham and the
message what do these stones mean? In the Devotional to
Jesus Code, Os Hawkins invites you to ask fifty two
thought provoking questions found in the Bible that will help
you experience Jesus in deeper, more authentic ways than ever before.
As you dive into these questions, you'll discover that everything
(24:21):
we need can be found in a deepening relationship with
Jesus Christ. We want to help you uncover bold truths
in the search for answers to life's biggest questions by
sending you the Jesus Code as our thanks for your
gift of ten dollars or more to help proclaim God's
unchanging word through PowerPoint, so call now to request your
copy of the Jesus Code. Call one eight hundred seven
(24:44):
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
text the word code to five nine seven eight nine,
And don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org where
you can shop our eastore, give a gift online, or
sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our
(25:07):
website again is Jack Graham dot org, and also be
sure to sign up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in
a Year pastor what is your PowerPoint for Today?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Proverbs twenty three seven says, for as a man thinks
in his heart, so isy. That's why it's so important
that you keep your mind full of positive faith building thoughts.
And one way to begin is by counting your blessings.
Start with your salvation. Too often we forget about what
Christ has done for us on the cross, We take
(25:42):
it for granted. Really think about that sacrifice, the love
of Jesus, and what He has done for you. What
it means for you personally to be free from your
sin and on your way to heaven. Where would you
be without the grace of God? Remind yourself daily that
you have been born again and forgiven and now free.
(26:02):
Remind yourself that God loves you with an everlasting love
that he will never let you go. Remember that God
is the one who provides healing and provision, protection, and
all the blessings of life. You can also be encouraged
by God's plan for your life. Think about the divine
purpose he has planned for you. Think about the family
and friends he has placed around you, about the job,
(26:23):
the education, and the opportunities that He's given you. Another
way to take a faith filled, positive outlook on life
is to fill your mind with scripture. This is the
very best way you can think noble thoughts, God's thoughts
after him, which is the Word of God. According to
Ephesians five eighteen, we are to speak to ourselves with psalms, hymns,
(26:45):
and spiritual songs. Offer praise to God. Sing your favorite
songs of worship or praise and hymns of faith. Write
out and place encouraging scripture verses in your wallet or
in your purse, your car, on your mirror, at love
much wherever you are, where you will find the Word
of God getting into your life. So today, my challenge
(27:05):
for you is to think about what you've been thinking
about each day and then begin filling your mind with
the thoughts of God, his provision, his promises for your life.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And that is today's power Point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you OS Hawkins devotional that Jesus code as our
thanks call one eight hundred seven ninety five four six
two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four
six two seven. You can also text the word code
(27:37):
to five nine seven eight nine and join us again
next time as doctor Graham brings a message about how
God can work a miracle in the circumstances of your life.
That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with
Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry.
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of a devotional on fifty two
questions every believer should answer. But first, here's the message.
What do these stones mean?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Take God's word and turn with me in your Old
Testament to the Book of Joshua and.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
The third chapter.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And defining moments our moments in our lives that we
never forget.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
And all of us have had those kinds of moments.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
And when we look back those defining moments, we celebrate.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
A defining moment. Someone said, is a.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Point in your life when you are urged to make
a pivotal decision or when you experience something that fundamentally
changes you.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
And not only changes.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You, but as followers of Jesus, changes you and your
family forever. And that's what Joshua three and four is about.
Now we talked about coming to the Jordan River. Israel
has been in the desert wandering for forty years. An
entire generation has died out, and now a new generation
(01:17):
is ready to take the land that God has given them,
the Promised Land. And remember the Promised land for us
as believers, today is the promised life that God has
given us, this life of abundance, this life of blessing
that we've been promised in Christ, and to live a
victorious Christian life, not defeated by circumstances or conditions in
(01:40):
our lives, but living in the abundance that is Christ.
It doesn't mean that it's always easy, that they're not battles.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
That we fight.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Certainly, Israel, when they cross over into the land of promise,
there were big battles to fight and enemies to defeat.
And when we cross over into this promised life in
Jesus Christ, there are certainly burdens we bear in battles
that we fight. So it's not perfect. It won't be
perfect until we get to Heaven. And we do know
(02:08):
the end of the story because in the end of
the story we are going to be in His presence forever. Now,
I want to talk to you about these miraculous moments
in our lives, momentous moments in our lives when we
cross over into the blessing of God.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The big problem that Israel.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Was facing that day, that you could be facing, is
that there was a big river right in front of them.
It was the Jordan River, and it was the spring season,
the harvest season, and so the river was swollen and
it was a raging river, and they had no human
way in order to get to the other side. So
how is Joshua going to lead the people across this
(02:56):
raging river?
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Something supernatural about to happen.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Miraculously, that river is going to part and the people
are going to walk over on dry ground, just as
forty years earlier they had walked through the Red Sea
on dry ground. God is giving now a new generation
a miracle of their own the supernatural. Do you believe
in the supernatural? Do you believe in the miraculous?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
I do.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
The miraculous is what happens beyond human experience, human effort,
or human explanation. It is when God does something in
our lives that we cannot explain. It is indescribable. But
(03:44):
when it happens, especially when you look back in your life,
when it happens, you realize it was the hand of
God moving in your life, even if you may not
have known it at the time. It is indescribable, but
in unmistakeable. And so if you're going to experience this
miracle in your life, and the supernatural power of God
(04:07):
to get you where you are and into the future
that God has planned for you. We discovered earlier in
this text that you're going where you've never been before.
You've never passed this way before. You have a past,
but you have a future. And maybe you're concerned about
(04:27):
your future. Maybe you don't know what's going to happen next.
Maybe you have questions about what God is doing in
your life right now, and you need the hand of
God to move.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You need to see God move in your life. So
how do you do that.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Well, we saw initially that we are to prepare our hearts.
We're to prepare ourselves for what God is going to do.
The scripture says, sanctify yourself Joshua three, dedicate yourself, consecrate
yourself unto God. For tomorrow the Lord is going to
do wonders among you. So get ready to move and
(05:02):
get ready for the miracle by preparing yourself spiritually in prayer,
in devotion, in dedication, and get yourself ready to go
to the other side.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
But there's a.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Second thing that we all need to do, and that
is to focus on Christ by following the ark of God.
Now here's where we're going to read the scripture, begetting
at verse eight of Joshua three. And as for you,
command the priest to bear the ark of the Covenant
when you come to the brink of the waters of
(05:35):
the Jordan. You shall stand still in the Jordan. And
Joshua said, to the people of Israel, come here and
listen to the words.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Of the Lord, your God.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Very critical that we hear from God, that we listen
to God. And Joshua said, here is how you shall
know that the Living God. Don't you love that we
serve a living Lord, a risen savior.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Our God is alive. And he said, you.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Will look to this Living God among you, and he
will without fail. How many of you know that God
is faithful, that he has never failed you yet, And
without fail he will drive out from before you the
canaan ize, the Hides, the head of Ice, the Parises,
the Gurgosites, and the Amoris, and the Jebucides, and the Termites.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
And know that.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
But verse eleven, behold, the ark of the Covenant of
the Lord of all the Earth is passing before you
into the Jordan. You haven't been there yet, but God
is already there. In your future, and God is leading
you forward. That's the title of this series. Now, therefore,
(06:50):
take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each
tribe a man, that is, these men would represent the
two to three million people they were to be unified.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Together and going across.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
So twelve from each tribe, one man from each tribe.
And when the souls of the feet of the priests
bearing the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all
the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan,
the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing,
and the waters coming down from above shall stand in
one heap. And so when the people set out from
their tents, remember these are nomads living in the desert,
(07:25):
to pass over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the
Ark of the Covenant before the people. And as soon
as those bearing the ark watched this, as soon as
those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan,
and the feet of the priest bearing the ark were
dipped into the brink of the water. Now the Jordan
overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest.
(07:47):
So this was a courageous move on their part to
step in to move forward, and the waters coming down
from above stood and rose up in a heap from
far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarathan,
and those flowing down the Sea of Araba, that's the
Dead sea, the salt sea. We're completely cut off. And
the people passed over opposite to Jericho, that is, they
(08:10):
went through. And now the priest bearing the Ark of
the Covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground
and in the midst of the Jordan, and all of
the Israel was passing over on dry ground until all
the nation finished passing over Jordan. That's an epic story, right,
(08:33):
And they experienced this miracle, a miracle that enabled them
to cross over into the land that God had given them.
Now the question is, what in the world is this?
Is this about? What is it really about? It's more
than the miracle. The children of Israel possessed this ark,
(08:56):
and the ark was made of wood and overlaid with gold.
There are two Cheruban angels on the top the mercy
seat where God and Man met. The Ark of the
Covenant went everywhere the people of God would go and
led them forward. Inside the Ark of the Covenant were
(09:16):
memories from the past mementos, important.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Memories from the past. One was the.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Law of God, the tablets, the Ten Commandments, and then
there was the rod of Aaron that budded miraculously.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And then there was a pot of mana.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
God's children Israel were miraculously fed in the wilderness with manna,
a divine bread that God sent them for provision each day.
So what you have inside this ark the Law of God,
and on top of the Ark is the mercy of God,
the mercy seat. You have the Law of God and
(09:55):
the love of God represented in this art. So you
have God's precepts in the Law. Then with the rod
that budded, you had God's power, a demonstration of God's
power that they carried with them. And then the pot
of manna a demonstration of God's provision. And so we
have all of that in Christ. In fact, you're going
to discover that the Ark is all about Jesus. The
(10:15):
Ark represents Jesus himself. You have God's provision, God's power,
and God's principles are God's precepts and people men would
carry the Ark with the children of Israel through the desert,
then through the Jordan River, and then throughout the land
of Promise, got it, That's what it is.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
But what does it mean.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Jesus is the ark, and God led the children of
Israel to take that ark on these poles, and the
priests to start. And it did take some courage to
step into the water before it was splitting offense. The
priests led the way and as they carried the ark,
(11:03):
the waters begin to divide, and in the midst of
the Jordan River they were separated from the people by
design by about three thousand yards three thousand yards, and
so it was about a half a mile. Why the separation,
(11:25):
so that everyone could see it. All these people could
look and see the ark. There was also a sense
of the need of separating the arc from the people.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
The ark was going before them.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
You know, we need reverence for God in our generation.
A fear of Almighty God. Not a fear that causes
us to run from him, but that causes us to
run to him and run for him, the fear of
the Lord. And so you know, God's not your homeboy,
Jesus is not your buddy, but he's the holy God
(12:00):
that we worship. How will it be your name? Jesus
taught us to pray and so while God is a
father who loves us in sympathy and security and holds
us dear, our Father is a holy the Holy God.
So when I see this arc out separated, I realize
that there is a uniqueness. In fact, there were people
in the Old Testament who actually died just touching the
(12:22):
arc inappropriately because the arc are you listening? The arc
represents the presence and the power of God. And so
to get to the other side of wherever we're going
in our lives, we must look to the ark.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Hark the arc. We must keep our eyes focused on God.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
what do these stones mean? When you ask big questions
of God, you can trust till give you answers that
grow your faith and deepen your intimacy with Him. In
his devotional The Jesus Code, os Hawkins helps you uncover
bold truths as you search for answers to life's biggest questions.
(13:14):
We want to send you a copy of this powerful
resource as thanks for your gift of ten dollars or
more so, request your copy of the Jesus Code when
you call and give today Call one eight hundred seven
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
text the word code to five nine seven eight nine.
(13:37):
Don't let stress rob you of peace. It is possible
to break the destructive grip of stress on your life
and enjoy the peace and abundance God desires for you.
That's what doctor Graham helps you do in his booklet
Breaking Free from Stress. We'll send you a digital download
of Breaking Free from Stress when you sign up for
email updates from PowerPoint Today. Just go to PowerPoint dot
(13:59):
org slash stress and sign up today. Now let's get
back to today's message. What do these stones mean?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
In the New Testament, we're told in the Book of
Hebrews Chapter twelve, verse one, that we are looking unto Jesus,
who is the author and the finisher of our faith.
So with all the resolutions that we make and all
the dreams that we have, we really have one job
(14:29):
as followers of Jesus, and that is to keep our
eyes on the art, to keep our eyes on God,
to keep our eyes fastened and fixed on our.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Lord as we go forward.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Because with all the distractions and things, and all the
fears that can you imagine.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I mean, this had never happened before.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
These children of Israel were brave and bold, and they
were following their commander Joshua. But ultimately they were believing
God for a miracle in their lives, and the miracle comes.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Remember what a miracle is something.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
That God does that we can't explain without explanation, without
human experience or effort.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
When God's hand moves.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
We know it is him, and we know it is
him because we're looking to him and we're believing him.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
And he makes a way for us.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I love the words that my friend Don Moen wrote
years ago. God will make a way when there seems
to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see.
Because I know my God will make a way for me.
He will be my guide and hold me closely to
(15:43):
his side with love and strength.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
For each new day he will make a way. He
will make a way.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
So as you look at your uncharted paths right in
front of you, when you look at perhaps obstacles like
a big river that looks uncrossable, you need a miracle.
You need God to move in your life. Get your
eyes on Jesus, keep your eyes on the power in
the presence of God in your lives and move forward.
(16:13):
Just keep trusting God. You will listen to this. You
will never go anywhere God has not gone before you.
You see, it's not only before us, but it's behind us.
And we're going to get to that in just a second.
But you know, really, the only reason we should be
looking back is to see the goodness and the grace
(16:34):
of God that has followed us all the days of
our lives. Surely the Psalm has said, goodness and mercy
will follow me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
So really, the only real good reason to look back
too much is just to see those mercies of God
that are chasing after us every single day, and to
(16:56):
give thanks for the faithfulness of God and the god
goodness of God in our lives.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Amen. Okay, So now, so focus.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
On the art, focus on Jesus if you want to
cross over, if you want the miracle for God to move,
and then when you cross over, when you get there,
God says, stack some stones. Okay, what do you mean,
pastor we'll look in chapter four of Joshua what happened
(17:28):
when they got on the other side, when God gave
them the miracle they needed. When all the nation had
finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,
take twelve men from the people, each one a man
from the tribe, and command them, saying, take twelve stones
from here out of the midst of the Jordan.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Remember the Jordan is dry now.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
So he said, go out and get twelve stones from
the very place where the priest Food's feet stood firmly,
and bring them over with you and lay them down
in the place that's where you lodged tonight. That place
was called Gilgal, which means a circle. So they were camped.
They were circled up, and Joshua, this is verse four,
call the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom
(18:11):
he appointed a man for each tribe. And Joshua said
to them, pass on before the ark of the Lord
your God in the midst of the Jordan, and take
up each of you a stone. This was a big
stone on the shoulder, according to the number of tribes
of the people of Israel, that this may be a
sign among you. When your children asked, okay, are you
ready for this? When your children ask in time to come,
(18:38):
What do these stones me.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
When you tell them.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before
the ark of the Covenant of the Lord, when it
passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were
cut off verse twenty one. And he said to the
people of Israel, when you're children ask their fathers. Pay
attention dads. I mean, he goes from moms too, But dad's.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Listen to this.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
When your children ask their daddies in times to come,
what do these stones that you have stacked up here mean.
Then you shall let your children know. Israel passed over
the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God
dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until
(19:37):
you passed over, as the Lord your God did to
the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until
he passed over. And then watched this verse twenty four.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
So that all the peoples of the earth.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Tell your family, tell your children, and till the whole
world hears, so that all the peoples of the earth
may know that the hand of God is mighty, so
that you may.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
Fear the Lord your God forever. Hallelujah.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
That is our calling now, because we have come through
to the other side.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
We have followed Jesus.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
We have safely arrived to a place that God has
promised us.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
And now God says, stack up some stones.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
What's he saying to us? Stack some stones? Always testify
of what God's done in your life. Never forget to
poured out blessings of God upon you and your family
and dads and moms. We have this incredible opportunity to
(20:45):
raise up another generation, so that when our children ask us, why.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Do you follow Jesus? Or what has God done.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
In your life? Why why are we here? When your
children ask you the big questions of life, you can
them to Jesus and you can tell them of the
one who saved you, the one who has changed you.
You know, it's important that we have markers and memories.
We even keep them around our house. You know, things
(21:16):
that happened in the past. Maybe some are trophies. Well,
God has given us trophies from the heart, victories that
we have won in Christ. And yes, let's share the
good times. Let's share the joy with our with our children.
Of all the victories that we've had, the successes in
life and all the rest.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
But God has.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Called every man and every woman in this place to
tell their children and then ultimately our children's children of
the God who is to be loved and followed. This
is on us, dear people, This is on you and me.
We are only one generation away from the end of
Christianity as we know.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
It unless.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
We tell our families and teach our children well, and
then beyond our families. As I read that last verse,
so that the whole world will know, this is what
we do. Because he said, go into all the world
(22:23):
and make disciples, go everywhere preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We've seen miracles. I've seen many miracles in my life,
and so have you. When God answered that prayer, when
God gave you that open door and opportunity, When God
(22:47):
took you places you never imagine you would go, When
God blessed you with those children, When God blessed you
with a family, When when God moved in you in
your life and brought you back to him. Maybe you
were away from God, a long way away. You were
a prodigal living far from God. But He chased you
(23:10):
down is his mercy and his love wouldn't let you go.
Speaker 3 (23:13):
And it was a miracle, and you had a new
beginning in your life.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Stacks of stones tell the story. Let people know what
Jesus has done in your life, so you want a
miracle in your life. When your children ask what do
these stones mean? You tell them about the arc. You
tell them about Jesus. You tell them about what He's
(23:43):
done in your life, so that in God's plan, in
God's purposes for them, they will carry the faith faith
of the Lord Jesus Christ from generation to generation.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
You're listening to our point with Jack Graham and the
message what do these stones mean? In the Devotional to
Jesus Code, Os Hawkins invites you to ask fifty two
thought provoking questions found in the Bible that will help
you experience Jesus in deeper, more authentic ways than ever before.
As you dive into these questions, you'll discover that everything
(24:21):
we need can be found in a deepening relationship with
Jesus Christ. We want to help you uncover bold truths
in the search for answers to life's biggest questions by
sending you the Jesus Code as our thanks for your
gift of ten dollars or more to help proclaim God's
unchanging word through PowerPoint, so call now to request your
copy of the Jesus Code. Call one eight hundred seven
(24:44):
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
text the word code to five nine seven eight nine,
And don't forget to visit Jack Graham dot org where
you can shop our eastore, give a gift online, or
sign up for doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our
(25:07):
website again is Jack Graham dot org, and also be
sure to sign up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in
a Year pastor what is your PowerPoint for Today?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Proverbs twenty three seven says, for as a man thinks
in his heart, so isy. That's why it's so important
that you keep your mind full of positive faith building thoughts.
And one way to begin is by counting your blessings.
Start with your salvation. Too often we forget about what
Christ has done for us on the cross, We take
(25:42):
it for granted. Really think about that sacrifice, the love
of Jesus, and what He has done for you. What
it means for you personally to be free from your
sin and on your way to heaven. Where would you
be without the grace of God? Remind yourself daily that
you have been born again and forgiven and now free.
(26:02):
Remind yourself that God loves you with an everlasting love
that he will never let you go. Remember that God
is the one who provides healing and provision, protection, and
all the blessings of life. You can also be encouraged
by God's plan for your life. Think about the divine
purpose he has planned for you. Think about the family
and friends he has placed around you, about the job,
(26:23):
the education, and the opportunities that He's given you. Another
way to take a faith filled, positive outlook on life
is to fill your mind with scripture. This is the
very best way you can think noble thoughts, God's thoughts
after him, which is the Word of God. According to
Ephesians five eighteen, we are to speak to ourselves with psalms, hymns,
(26:45):
and spiritual songs. Offer praise to God. Sing your favorite
songs of worship or praise and hymns of faith. Write
out and place encouraging scripture verses in your wallet or
in your purse, your car, on your mirror, at love
much wherever you are, where you will find the Word
of God getting into your life. So today, my challenge
(27:05):
for you is to think about what you've been thinking
about each day and then begin filling your mind with
the thoughts of God, his provision, his promises for your life.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
And that is today's power Point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you OS Hawkins devotional that Jesus code as our
thanks call one eight hundred seven ninety five four six
two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four
six two seven. You can also text the word code
(27:37):
to five nine seven eight nine and join us again
next time as doctor Graham brings a message about how
God can work a miracle in the circumstances of your life.
That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with
Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry.
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