Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 7th, 2012 Just For Ladies – by Camille Stahl

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 37 – 40 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text)

(Second Milers also read – John 7 – 8; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)

Scripture Memory for July – John 3:1 – 21

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –Ephesians 4:32

The Study of Women in the Bible

Rahab, A Harlot With Great Faith

“And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.”                      (Joshua 2:1-21)

“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”      (Hebrews 11:31)

Good morning and welcome back to the Tuesday Ladies Bible Study. For this study, the Lord has impressed upon me to blog about Rahab. Many times, women feel unworthy to serve the Lord. We have the mindset of ‘how can God love someone like me?’ He does, and Rahab is a great example.

The Bible pulls no punches when it comes to the hard facts about Rahab. She was a harlot: someone who sold her body for money. Some try to sugar-coat this fact by saying she was an innkeeper, which may be true, but she was still a harlot. The spies may have gone to Rahab’s place to stay. She discovered that they were Israelites. She knew about what happened to Egypt at the Red Sea, and heard that God was going to give the Israelites the city of Jericho. It took faith to hide the spies. She trusted their word that she and her household would be saved. One definition of faith is a profound trust in God and His Word. Rahab had this kind of faith. God honored Rahab, along with Sarah: the only two women mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11: the heroes of the faith.

There are two things I would like to look at that we can apply to us today. First is Rahab’s faith. We must be in God’s word daily. I know I always mention about Bible reading, but how can we know His word unless we read it.

“Give us this day our daily bread..”. (Matthew 6:11)

If you are not reading at all, start with a few verses. Read a little, increase a little. A great tool to use is the Bible reading on the blog. Not only do you get to read it, but you get to hear it as well. We must believe and trust in His word. I know this is sometimes easier said then done. My faith and trust was shaky at times during this past year or so, but God repeatedly showed His love to me.

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)

The second point is that God is no respecter of persons. If Jesus is your Saviour, your past is in the past. He remembers our sin no more.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalms 103:12)

You’re a Princess because you’re a child of the King. God loves us all equally. Don’t let your past hinder you from serving Him. God can do great things through you if you stay faithful and allow Him to. Rahab’s story continued after Jericho. She found God. She no longer worked as a harlot. She lived among the Jewish people. She married Salmon and had a child. She was the great-grandmother of King David.

“And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king;… “ (Matthew 1:5-6)

She is in the lineage of Jesus Christ. You say a harlot? Yes.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Saviour, I highly suggest you go to the churches website www.jerseyshorebaptist.com and click on “Why Jesus”. Jesus is waiting for you with His out-stretched arms. He is willing to forgive and love you, just as He did Rahab. God wants to use you too!

For the young abandoned husband, left alone without a reason – For the Pilgrim in the the city where there is no home – For the son without a father, for his solitary mother – I have a message – He sees you – He knows you – He loves you – Every heart that is breaking tonight – Is the heart of a child, that He holds in his sight – And oh how He longs, to hold in His arms – Every heart that is breaking tonight – For the precious fallen daughter, for her devastated father – For the prodigal who’s dying in a strange new way – For the child who’s always hungry – For the Patriot with no country – I have a message – He sees you – He knows you – He loves you – Jesus loves you – Every heart that is breaking tonight – Is the heart of a child, that He holds in his sight – And oh how He longs, to hold in His arms – Every heart that is breaking tonight.

Every Heart That Is Breaking  –  A song by Twila Paris

Start fresh today and leave the past in the past.

Thank You

1 John 5:13 – 14