The Cry Of The Stones

            And when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord; peace in Heaven and glory in the highest.  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him; Master, rebuke thy disciples.  And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out  ( Luke 19:37-40 ).

 

When Jesus was coming into the city of Jerusalem, the multitude began to cry out and praise Him for all the mighty works they had seen Him do.

The Pharisees were enraged at this worship, and asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples.  Jesus told them that if these disciples didn’t praise Him, the stones would immediately cry out and worship Him.

If the stones would cry out and worship Him, what would they say?  Of what would they praise God for?  I believe the stones would have a story to tell.

I remember traveling in the mountains of southern California several years ago, in a place where there were hundreds of huge rocks.  I believe the place was called, “The weeping rocks.”

I remember a comment from my parents that  day,  “If  these  stones  could  talk,  I wonder what they would say?”  Since they were there for hundreds of years, surely they had seen many events, and if given a chance, would cry out and witness to many events.
If the stones would cry out to Jesus, of what would they say?  I wonder what kind of a message they would leave us?  If the saints of God don’t cry out and worship Him, the stones will cry out in our place.  Do you want a stone to worship God in your place?

Did you know that creation worships God?

Did you know that nature cries out to God?

We can’t hear it, but it happens just the same.  Read in Psalms 148, where nature worships God.

The sun and the moon praise God.

The stars and the Heavens praise God.

The fire, hail, snow, vapors, and stormy winds praise God.

 

Just think what a mighty chorus of praise is ascending up before God, day and night, from nature.  Nature never ceases to praise Him.

Jesus said, “If these don’t praise me, the stones would immediately cry out.”  If the stones would cry out, they would be a testimony, a witness, and a memorial against those who refuse to cry and praise Him.

I feel the stones speaking to my soul today.  They are telling me a story, they are praising God.

When the stones cry out, I believe we would hear the twelve stones cry in unison, “We remember that day, several hundred years ago, when  the  children  of  Israel  crossed Jordan.   We  remember  the  conditions  there  that   day;   Jordan   had   overflowed   her banks, and water was running everywhere.  It looked impossible to cross Jordan.
We saw the high priests when they took the Ark of the Covenant upon their shoulders.  We saw the feet of the priests, as they stepped in muddy Jordan.  We saw the water part by the power of God.  We saw the priests stand firm in the middle of Jordan.  We saw all Israel pass over unto the other side.

We saw the miracle working power of God displayed that day among His people.  We are here as a memorial, as a witness to this great event.  We were placed in the middle of Jordan, and on the other side, as a memorial to all future generations of God’s delivering power.

We have seen it, we have seen it, and do set our testimony to the God or Israel.  “Oh, praise Him, Oh, praise Him!”

This is what the stones would cry today, if the stones could cry out.  I think we need some spiritual men today, who would take a stand against the floodtide of evil sweeping upon our generation, and declare the Name of our God.

The waves of sin and ungodliness may sweep around our feet, but we can stand in our generation, and be a witness, and a memorial to truth.

We have too many jellyfish leaders today, who are being swept away by the floodtide of evil, lust, and greed for power.  They are sinking in the waters of despair.

God, give us some men as our forefathers of old, who founded this great America.
God give us some men who will stand for truth, justice, and equity.
God   give   us   some   men   who  will   have   a   love   for   our    country,    and our fellowman.

Listen today, as the stones cry out and speak to us.  The stones are preaching this message today.  Listen to the cry of the stones.

Twelve more stones would cry out today, “We remember when the prophet Elijah challenged the 450 false prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.  We were there that day, as the prophets of Baal danced around, and cut themselves with knives.  All day long they cried to Baal, but no fire came.

It was around the time of the evening sacrifice, when Elijah took twelve of us, and rebuilt the altar in the Name of the Lord.  He laid the wood on us, took the bullock, cut it into pieces, and placed it upon us.  We watched as Elijah ordered four barrels of water to be poured on us.  We remember the water running down our backs.  We watched as four more barrels of water was poured upon us, and we felt a good drenching this time.  We waited as he called for four more barrels of water; this time we were really soaked in water.

Elijah stood back and prayed, the fire fell from Heaven, licked up the water, the sacrifice, and the wood.  We saw the people fall on their faces and declare that the Lord was God.  We were there, we can testify that the Lord, He is God.  “Oh, praise Him, Oh, praise Him!”

This would be the cry of the stones today, if we fail to worship and praise God.  Speak, Oh, stones, of what would you praise God for?

I believe there would be five stones that would cry out today and say, “We remember the day in the  valley  of  Elah.   Israel  was  fighting  the  Philistines.   For  forty days,   the   giant   challenged   the   God   of    Israel.     Fear     gripped    the    army    of  Israel, and it looked like all hope was gone.  We remember David challenging the giant, because he defied the God of Israel.

We saw David as he came down to the brook, and picked up five of us, and put us in his pouch.  We were so close, we could hear the growl of the giant as he said to David, “Am I a dog that you come to me with staves?  Come to me, boy, I’ll feed you to the fowls of the air.”  This giant was a fearful sight, and David was such a small lad.
We remember hearing David say, “Thou comest to me with a sword, spear, and shield, but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel.”
As David ran to meet this giant, he pulled me out of his pouch and put me in his sling.  I still remember the feeling that day, as I went sailing through the air in the Name of the Lord.  All I did was hit the giant, but God did the rest; God gave the victory.  “Oh, praise Him, Oh, praise Him!”

This would be the cry of the stones today, if we cease to praise the Lord.  Some more stones want to preach to us today.

Some stones would cry out and say, “We remember about 1900 years ago, this Jesus Christ was put on a cross.  We saw the multitude there that day.  We saw the Roman soldiers as they cursed and mocked Jesus.

We heard Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  We also heard a thief say, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
We remember the sky growing dark, and there was a dreadful darkness over all the land.  We heard Christ say, “Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.”  All of a sudden the earth began to shake, the graves were opened, and we were rent asunder.  It was terrible, Oh, so terrible that day.

We heard a soldier say, “Truly this was the Son of God.”  We saw a man thrust a spear into the side of Christ, and out came blood and water.  We were there, we were witnesses of these things.  Truly Jesus was the Son of God, “Oh, praise Him, Oh, praise Him!”

This would be the cry of the stones today.  There are some more stones who want to cry out today.

One stone would cry out and say, “I remember about 1900 years ago also, when the Jews took Christ and placed Him in a tomb.  I heard mumblings of how He died on the cross, and shed His blood for the sins of the whole world.

Some were saying this Jesus was a blasphemer.  Some were concerned about Him rising from the dead, whatever this means.  I remember those hands as they touched me, and rolled me over the mouth of that tomb.

I remember those terrible Roman guards, as they stomped and cursed for three days and nights around me.  I heard some laughing and something said about the end of this one, called Christ.

I tried to do my job well, holding the mouth of that tomb.  I tried my best to keep Christ in there, but all of a sudden, on the third day, an angel rolled me away, and sat upon me.

I heard him say, “He is not here, He is risen.”  I saw the Roman soldiers all lying on the ground.   I think they passed out in  fear.    I  can  testify  to  the  fact,  He  is  risen, He is risen.  He is not dead, but alive for evermore.  “Oh, praise Him, Oh, praise Him!”
This would be the cry of the stones today, if we don’t praise the Lord.

If we won’t praise Him, nature will rise and praise Him.

If we won’t praise Him, the trees will clap their hands.

If we won’t praise Him, the stars will sing together.

If we won’t praise Him, the floods will lift up their voice on high.

If we won’t praise Him, the rocks will cry out.

If we won’t praise Him, this piano may cry out.

If we won’t praise Him, this organ may cry out.

Come on saint, praise the Lord!

Come on backslider, praise the Lord!

Come on sinner, praise the Lord!

If given the chance, some Old Testament men would stand today and cry out.
Moses would stand and cry, “He is the rock; He is the stone of Israel.”
Isaiah would stand and cry, “He is the rock of my strength; He is the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”

Samuel would stand and cry, “There is no rock like our God.”

David would stand and cry, “Thou art my rock, thou art my fortress; He is the rock of my salvation.”

Isaiah would stand again and cry, “He is the foundation stone; He is the tried stone; He is the corner stone.”

The Apostle Peter would stand and cry, “He is the living stone.”

            Matthew would stand and cry, “Who so falleth on this stone shall be broken.”
All these men would stand and cry together, “He is the stone the builders rejected, He is the white stone, He is the precious stone.”

The disciples began to praise the Lord for all the miracles they had seen Him do.
They saw Him heal the sick.

They saw Him open the eyes of the blind.

They saw Him cause the lame to walk again.

They saw Him cast out devils.

They saw Him cause the dumb to talk.

They saw Him cause the deaf to hear.

They saw Him raise the dead.

They saw Him when He broke the bread, and fed the multitudes.

They worshipped Him from the depths of their hearts.

They worshipped Him with a loud voice saying, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord, peace in Heaven, and glory in the highest, blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord.”

The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Master, rebuke thy disciples.  Tell them to keep quiet.  Tell them to keep calm.  Tell them not to make such a noise.”

Jesus replied, “If these don’t praise Me, the rocks will cry out and praise Me.”

The devil would like to keep you quiet today.

The devil doesn’t want you to worship God.

Our society doesn’t want you to worship and praise God.

The world doesn’t want you to worship and praise God.

I don’t care what the devil and the world doesn’t want; I’m going to worship and praise my God.

 

I want to praise Him for Calvary.

I want to praise Him for the stripes He allowed to be put on His back.
I want to praise Him for the crown of thorns He allowed to be put upon His head.
I want to praise Him for allowing the nails to be put in His hands.

I want to praise Him for every drop of blood He shed for me.

I want to praise Him for His death.

I want to praise Him for His burial.

I want to praise Him for His resurrection.

I want to praise Him for His Name.

I want to praise Him for His Spirit.

I want to praise Him for His Word.

I want to praise Him for His love.

I want to praise Him for His grace.

I want to praise Him for the defeat of Satan.

Keep silent, Oh, stones, I’ve got something to say; I want to praise my Jesus today!  Don’t you cry out in my place!

Praise Him in His sanctuary.

Praise Him in the firmament of His power.

Praise Him for His mighty acts.

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.

Praise Him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise Him with the timbrel and dance.

Praise Him with the loud cymbals.

Praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.

           

Let everything, let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord, praise ye the Lord  ( Psalms 150 ).

The shadows of Armageddon are falling across our end time generation today.  We need to praise and worship our God like we never worshipped Him before.

If you need salvation, healing, the Holy Spirit, just lift up your hands to God, and begin to worship Him.  God dwells in the midst of the worship and praise of His people.  Praise Him!  Praise Him!  He is worthy!  He is worthy!  Worthy is the Lamb!