What Does My Yesterday Mean About My Tomorrow?

(Joshua 4:4-7 NIV) So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

This week we will bring this series (Warrior Spirit) to and end and get back to teaching from the book of Proverbs. I trust that this series has been as much a blessing to you as it has been to me. I have been encouraged, inspired and uplifted as we have studied the resiliency of many Biblical characters. Their ability to persevere has served as fuel for my own ability to do the same and I pray it has had a similar effect on you.

I am back at work this morning after returning from my trip to Huston. I want to thank each of you who send me words of encouragement and covered me with your prayers it was truly very much needed and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. While sitting with my grandson the Father gave me a message to teach it is entitled, "What Does My Yesterday Mean About My Tomorrow?" I will be teaching my life group a message from Joshua chapters three and four. I have shared a portion of the text with you here this morning and I feel led to share just a few of the thoughts from the message.

For us to truly operate with a Warrior Spirit, that will withstand every attack of the enemy, we must develop the ability to look back in order to properly look forward. The answer to the question - What Does My Yesterday Mean About My Tomorrow? - would be "Nothing" if our lives were nothing but a series of disconnected events.

However, our past is part of our story. Our past victories and failures are part of our makeup and we need to understand the lessons of our past if we are going to be prepared to face the challenges of our future. Joshua understood this and since he was charged with leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, he took full advantage of this principal as God performed a miracle for them.

The Father caused the waters of the River Jordan to stop so that the Israelite could walk across on dry ground. When the miracle was over Joshua had one member from each tribe - so that everyone was included - grab a stone from the middle of the river. The 12 stones were used to create an altar that would serve as a memorial of what God did for them for generations to come.

We too would do well in establishing altars in our lives. Now, I don't mean physical altars, but I do mean 'altars of remembrance.' When we establish an altar we show God how appreciative we are of what He did and we ensure that we will not quickly forget it.

The altar also served as a source of encouragement. See, the land of Promise (Canaan) was still inhabited. If the Israelites were going to take the land they were going to have to fight seven different nations for it (the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites). Joshua's point was that while they were fighting these nations they could always look back and remember the miracle the Father performed on their way into the Promised Land. Their past miracle would fuel their future successes.

I can't share all the points of my message, but let me just share a few closing thoughts. When you build an altar it serves as a place of worship (where you appreciate what God did), a venue for evangelism (where you openly brag on God), a tool for legacy (your children need to know the true source of your strength) and a source of personal encouragement (where you can 'Brace Yourself,' 'Trace Yourself,' and 'Pace Yourself').

Father, I thank You for all my past experiences - successes and failures. My past is part of my story. My yesterday has prepared me for my tomorrow. When You do mighty things in my life I will not take them lightly. I will establish altars of remembrance that will help me share the experience with others, share the lessons with my children, and serve as a source of personal encouragement when I am feeling low. You are a God of progression and not regression. I know that what lies before me is greater than what is behind me so when I look back I get excited about looking forward. I have great expectations! In Jesus' name. Amen!

This is Today's Word! Apply it and Prosper!