“A Time To Remember”

Joshua 4:1-9 NLT

1 When all the people were safely across the river, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 "Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 3 Tell the men to take twelve stones from where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan and pile them up at the place where you camp tonight." 4 So Joshua called together the twelve men 5 and told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the LORD your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder--twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future, your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean to you?' 7 Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a permanent memorial among the people of Israel." 8 So the men did as Joshua told them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the LORD had commanded Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there. 9 Joshua also built another memorial of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. The memorial remains there to this day.
5 REASONS WE NEED TO BUILD MEMORIALS IN OUR OWN LIVES
1.Memorials are a reminder of our most important VALUES
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NLT

6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. 8 Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

2.Memorials helps us to be GRATEFUL
Psalms 103:2

Praise the LORD, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me. 3.Memorials remind us toavoid life’s pitfalls
Judges 2:10-12 NLT

10 After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight and worshiped the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They chased after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. NLT

3. Memorials remind us to AVOID LIFE'S PITFALLS

Judges 2:10-12 NLT

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight and worshiped the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They chased after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD.

4. Memorials helps us cope with our GRIEF
1 Thessalonians 4:13 NIV

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.

Philippians 1:3 NLT

Every time Ithink of you, I give thanks to my God.

5.Memorials helps us to keep OUR PRIORITIES straight.
Luke 12:21 NLT

"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."