Gtcotr/ss022617
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the
harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had
received the spies with peace.
Why
didn’t Rahab perish with all the rest of her friends and neighbors in Jericho? Rahab
was special. What made Rahab special? Rahab had the:
5
Essentials Every Harlot Needs to Be Her Best
In order to truly succeed in life every
harlot needs:
1.
A call of God on their life.
·
Of
course, all harlots, and all people for that matter, have a call of God on
their lives which was given before the foundation of the world.
·
Every
person is special to God and every person is called of God.
·
Responding
to your call is the first critical key to your success.
·
What
else will it take for you to be at your best? Just like Rahab -
2.
A willingness to change.
·
Nothing
changes until something changes.
·
Most
people who fail would not have if they had only changed.
·
The
biggest reason people don’t change is because they are unwilling.
·
Change
begins in the heart and mind and then is proven through actions. James demands
corresponding actions to prove faith.
·
Rahab
changed sides during a war. Rahab believed it was better for herself, her
family and her future to ally herself with Israel than it was to stand by and
go along with her own people.
Joshua 6:17 Now the city
shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it.
Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the
house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
3.
An Anti-Fragile quality of life.
·
While
stress poisons some people, those with this anti-fragile quality end up gaining
strength from chaos, disorder or stress.
·
More
than the ability to endure, this anti-fragile quality is the ability to make
gain in the face of uncertainty and adversity.
·
Instead
of needing a room set aside for adult coloring book time in order to cope with
the untenable results of a national election, anti-fragile people excel in
volatility and gain from the adventure.
4.
A Benevolent Benefactor chosen by God.
·
Like
Ruth needed Boaz
·
Like
Rebecca needed Isaac
·
Like
Mary needed Joseph
·
Like
the Church needs Jesus
·
We
all need a benevolent benefactor who is strong and capable enough to shepherd,
cover and care for us and to whom we can submit above our own strengths. Whose
benefactor are you?
5.
An ability to outlive the past.
·
Outlive,
Out Last and Out Distance the past …
·
Moses,
Ruth, David, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Paul, and Mark and Rahab are but a few
Bible examples of people who outlived their past.
·
Your
future is not determined by your past but by your God. Don’t allow the past to
be your god.
·
Today
you should begin writing the last chapter in your life.
·
Only
the decisions you make today will determine if you will be remembered as a hero
or a zero. Will you be a lying harlot scheming to save your own life or the
heroine of Jericho who made a decision to change your life.
·
Rahab
ultimately became a grandmother of Jesus!
Refuse
to allow your past to determine your future.
1.
Recognize
the call of God on your life. It’s not just wishful thinking – God has a plan
for your life and He is speaking to you every day.
2.
Be
willing to change – after a while, others will see that you did.
3.
Begin
building your anti-fragile outlook on life. (2 Corinthians 4:17ff)
4.
Seek
out and submit to the benevolent benefactor God has called to care for you.
5.
Begin
writing what you want to be the last chapter of your life. When you are gone,
what do you want others to say about you?
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the
harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had
received the spies with peace.
